Crimson Love
by Anoka Kon
Summary: Thrust into the past once again, Yusei and Jaden must confront an heir to Paradox and keep a Shadow Realm beast from resurrecting. However, their minds are on more than just sealing the beast.
1. Finding

His eyes were closed, his body shuddering in the puddle that he laid in. The sign on his back glowed faintly in the darkness, eventually fading away into the night. There was something familiar about this place but he couldn't put his finger on it. To tell the truth, he couldn't move his body much at all.

It was as if he had been hit by a train or something. The last thing he remembered was riding his Duel Runner when the Dragon appeared. The magnificent red and golden dragon had appeared before him and swept him up into the air, thrusting him into the sky and tearing him away from his Runner. It had all happened so fast that he had failed to react. He didn't even have his helmet on.

He was weak, as he had landed on his side and then rolled over from the pain that burned through his side. He gripped at his arm, which he couldn't move. He assumed that it was broken, along with everything else in his body. His gloves were soaked, his jacket was soaked, and heck his whole body was soaked. The mists seemed to surround him as he lay there gasping for air. It seemed as if the Dragon wanted him to complete something here.

He didn't know where he was, and his head hurt too much to really think about it for too long before it began to pound. He breathed out, his lungs hurting from the cold air. He was thrust and tussled like a rag doll, eventually thrown onto this street where he found that even though he tried to make out where he was he couldn't tell right from left.

Lifting his head a little, he attempted to open his eyes, the dark blue orbs trying to focus on one thing. Before long however, he fell back down, his body weak and struggling to maintain its heat. He closed his eyes and shook his head, sighing to himself. The Dragon wouldn't have put him here if it didn't want him to do something of importance.

It was then that he heard a startled cry in the distance. It was familiar somehow, but it was so far away his ears couldn't really pick up in that one direction. He coughed, burying his head in his arms and shivering. The ground vibrated with footsteps as someone approached him, a voice speaking calmly and softly to him, almost trying to reassure him.

Whoever it was he did not know, but he was certain of one thing. The warmth of those hands upon made him shiver and extremely grateful. He relaxed certain that whoever it was certainly meant to help him.

Allowing the darkness of sleep to overcome him he gave in to the weakness of his body, resting his alert self and soaking in the beautiful warmth that surrounded him.

It was so familiar.


	2. Heresy

He licked his lips, the soft pillow providing him comfort and warmth. His eyes opened, and a room came into focus. Wooden walls and a desk lined his vision, and as he sat up he realized he was in a bed.

Turning his head towards the door to his side, Yusei's ears perked as he heard someone coming closer to him and entering the room. He pulled the blankets closer to him and swallowed, trying to figure out why all of this seemed so familiar to him. There was something about that voice the previous night that set his mind to work, and as the door opened he smiled in relief. He was right.

"Jaden?"

The brown haired youth nearly dropped his tray as he turned around, his eyes wide with relief.

"Y-Yusei! You're awake!" setting the tray down upon the desk Jaden sped over to Yusei's side, kneeling down next to the bed. He smiled brightly.

"You took some beating there! I thought you were a goner!" Yusei smiled back gratefully, nodding his head. "I'm glad you picked me up when you did, I thought I would stay there forever."

Jaden blushed a bit, but tilted his head in warmth. Holding up a finger, his expression turned quizzical.

"What're you doing here Yusei? Don't tell me the world is in peril again…"

"Actually I have no idea what I'm doing here." Yusei replied, adjusting his sleeveless gray shirt. His tan skin gleamed in the sunlight that seemed to be pouring in from the window next to them. "The last thing I remember is riding my duel runner…"

Jaden nodded, sighing. "But what does that mean? I mean… did the Crimson Dragon bring you here?"

"Who else? I couldn't have gone fast enough to warp through time again."

"We're not supposed to go back to Yugi's time again are we?"

"Not at all. Right now, I have no idea what we're supposed to be doing. All I know is that I'm here… I'm here for a reason." Yusei paused, gazing at the blankets. "I'm here because the Crimson Dragon bought me here… and until I've done what I'm supposed to do, I can't leave."

"You know this for sure?" Jaden blinked twice, whistling. "Wow… and you have no idea what you're doing here."

"Exactly." Both boys sat in silence, not sure of what to do. Yusei's problem was that the Crimson Dragon dropped him off here in this time, but gave no directions as to what he was doing here in the first place. It wasn't like circumstances to turn out like this, but it couldn't be helped. One simply couldn't ask the Crimson Dragon for everything.

Jaden was nervous obviously, as he had never expected to see Yusei ever again. There was something about Yusei that made him wonder what kind of person he really was, and the same went for Yugi. The King of Games himself was absolutely perfect in all his dueling ways when they defeated Paradox. Could the evil have returned to this time?

"You should eat. You're probably exhausted too." Taking the meal back from the tray, Jaden set it down on Yusei's lap, the older boy taking the fork and proceeding to eat. The two of them had gone together to get Yugi when Paradox had struck, but now that there was no imminent danger around, what were they to do?

Jaden had almost no idea what to say. After all, what was there to say to someone who showed up out of the future in the streets face down in a puddle? He decided upon starting a conversation about Yusei's whereabouts.

"You were lying on the street… the reason why I came upon you was because Kuriboh told me that there was trouble about." Jaden began, gazing at Yusei. The blue eyes traced his as he ate silently, his ears perked.

"There's no one on campus this week, it's our vacation time. I was the last to leave 'cause I wanted to get in some duels before I went back home but…"

Yusei stopped his eating and gazed at him almost curiously. What was he getting at? Jaden smiled at him, tilting his head. "We can finally keep our promise!"

"Promise?" it took Yusei a second in order to comprehend it, but he finally understood. He smiled back at Jaden. Holding up a fist he nodded, reaching for his deck.

"We can finally have that duel you were mentioning."

Jaden chuckled and leapt up, holding his fist ready. "I'm ready when you are!" he paused, gazing back at his friend. "Of course, you need to rest first and get your energy up! I don't want to beat you on a whim!"

Yusei smiled back and nodded, continuing to eat his soup. The sun was bright that day, the perfect setting for a duel between two duel masters. They were the cream of their generation, and even so they had only known each other for a few hours. There was something however, that drew them to each other.

* * *

><p>"I can't imagine what other cards there are in the future!"<p>

"You've only seen my deck, so it only gave you a glimpse of what comes next!"

"I know! It may have been a tie, but we did our best right?"

Yusei nodded, putting away his duel disk. They had dueled in the stadium of course, and once they had finished off the last of their cards, they had called it a draw. After all, nobody needs to win all the time. The older boy sighed and took a look at his arm where his sign was. Taking off his glove he awaited for something to appear, but alas the glow did not shine, and Yusei put his glove back on. Jaden watched in curiosity, almost wanting to ask.

He cleared his throat, their footsteps echoing in the empty stadium hall. The lights were on bright, and since it was still midday they had plenty of time to do practically anything they so wished. However, there was something on Yusei's mind that made him wonder.

"How is it that the Crimson Dragon knew exactly where you were?"

"What?" Jaden gazed back at Yusei, his eyes shining. "What do you mean?"

"How did it know where to drop me off? It comes only when there is trouble about… and it seems as if everything is peaceful in this time… so I don't get it."

Jaden put a finger to his lips, thinking carefully. The sunshine rained down upon them as they walked outside, Jaden carrying his classical duel bag and making thinking noises as they walked.

"Well, I would think that…" silence filled the air as Jaden stopped in his tracks, something seeming out of place. Yusei stopped along with him, his brown boots halting. He gazed at Jaden, his eyes narrowing.

"What's up?"

Jaden hushed him, listening carefully to the wind. "Do you hear that?" Yusei turned his head and listened, the breeze blowing through his black and golden hair. Both boys held their ears as a screeching roar ripped through the air, sending a gust of wind over them as well.

"What the hell?" screamed Jaden, looking up to see the immense shadow that overtook them both. Yusei's eyes turned to the sky above them, and he too saw the behemoth of dragon that hulked up above them.

The dark purple and black dragon screeched again, circling them once more and vanishing into the sky with a blast of dark air. The ground at their feet erupted in purple smoke, and as they backed away from the peeling earth, a bolt of lightning struck down a tree sending it bursting into flames.

"Okay, I know that the dragon was abnormal, but now the weather?"

"This must be the trouble that the Crimson Dragon was feeling!" Yusei added, holding his own against the harsh winds that were now blowing. "Whoever it is clearly wants to tell us something!"

"And right you are boy."

A deep and mysterious voice greeted them both, the boys looking up to see another golden haired masked man, much like the one they had encountered earlier. He was riding a machine as well, although this aircraft seemed to be from even farther in the future… if that was even possible.

"What the heck is that?" cried Jaden, looking up at the strange machinery. It levitated above them, its blades whirring loudly and the man standing on top of the dome of the object. The masked man cackled and waved a hand at them, almost addressing them as friends. Yusei growled, glaring at the new menace.

"Who are you?"

"Oh me? Little old me?" the man asked, taking off his mask and revealing the azure blue eyes behind them. "Oh me you see, I am a very important man young boy!"

"He talks weird…" Jaden commented, almost letting down his guard. Yusei also put down his guard a bit, taking a step forward. "What do you want?"

"World restoration! If it not for you my brother would have succeeded!"

"Wait, your brother?" asked Jaden, who was beginning to get confused. Yusei was also beginning to feel this way, but he wouldn't admit to doing so. This new menace could have proven himself very dangerous.

"Yes, my brother Paradox!" the man cried, now beginning to turn into some sort of crazy person. "My brother Paradox saw this world as a treacherous and evil place! He longed to restore it to its natural order by killing the very man who created Duel Monsters in the first place!"

"Pegasus you mean?" asked Yusei, who now was actually interested in what this man had to say. "We defeated Paradox a long time ago! What do you want now?"

"And for your information," Jaden added in, feeling the need to be useful, "Pegasus isn't in this time zone!"

"I know that you twit!" the man cried, pointing a finger at them. His golden locks framed his face as his black body suit gleamed with the sweat of anger and rage filled him. "But I intend to go about it a different way!"

"And how's that?" Yusei challenged.

"You see, he wanted to start from the bottom up, while I on the other hand insist on going from the top down!"

"What does that mean?" Jaden asked, confused. "What it means is this!" the man replied, holding up a blank card. Yusei stared at the card, not sure of what it was.

"What is that?"

"It's a blank card!"

"But… what are you going to do with it?"

"I'll show you right now!" with a wave of his hand the dragon reappeared in the sky, throwing both Jaden and Yusei to the ground. Dark purple clouds rained down upon them as lightning bolts thrust their way through the earth, piercing the ground and breaking everything in sight.

"Set your eyes upon the fate of your world Yusei and tremble!"

Turning his eyes towards the heavens above, the dark clouds parted and showed Yusei New Domino City, the place he called home. Darkness and chaos reigned throughout the city; people starved to death and forced to flee their beloved families. Debris was everywhere as the buildings collapsed and the city struggled to maintain life. Yusei's eyes widened.

"What did you do?" he cried, his voice shaking. The man had taken away the one place where he was most comfortable and found most loved. He was a monster.

Cackling laughter was Yusei's only answer as the man began to ride his machine up towards the sky, waving them a farewell. "You see, the more time I spend in one era the more corrupt it becomes! When I'm done with you Jaden, I'll be sure to pay your little friend Yugi a visit as well and rebuild this world as it should be!"

"Wait!" Yusei cried, trying to get up from his sprawled position. "Get back here you bastard!" the winds picked up again, slashing Yusei across the chest with an unseen blade. He gasped out in pain, holding his bleeding pecks.

"Remember this name!" the man cried, pointing a finger to the heavens. "Remember the name Heresy! For it shall be the name of your new ruler!"

Wrapping himself in dark and ominous clouds, Heresy placed his mask over his face and flew into the sky, leaving the two boys to their will. The clouds vanished and the dragon did as well, the winds dying down and the lightning ceasing.

Taking a breath of calm, Jaden sat up and looked over at Yusei who had his head in his hands, his breaths coming out in shudders. Biting his lip and coming over carefully, Jaden gazed at him gently.

"Hey, it's alright. We're gonna stop this guy, I promise." He said quietly, hoping to comfort his friend. Yusei was shaken more than he could have imagined, but then again when one's home was destroyed, who wouldn't be in the same predicament?

Jaden didn't know how to comfort his friend more, so he sat there with Yusei, who was shaking like a leaf. The boys sat there in silence again, that familiar feeling overcoming them both. Jaden wasn't about to talk to Yusei when he was distraught, so he decided to remain there until the older boy was done with his grieving.

Gathering himself after a few more minutes of thought, Yusei finally stood up and clenched his fist, aiming his eyes towards the sky. "That guy took away my home… my friends… I can't let him do it again!"

Jaden stood up with him, smiling at him. "You're right! If we're gonna stop this guy, we gotta make sure that it's here and before he gets to Yugi's time!"

Yusei sighed, nodding his head. "I just… I just can't believe that the Crimson Dragon chose to save me and only me…"

Jaden once again bit his lip, thinking of the proper words to say. Yusei's eyes were upon him now, a certain feeling of want emanating from them. He spoke softly.

"Yusei, I'll do whatever it takes to get you back home."

The older boy blinked, the younger boy smiling at him warmly. "You can count on it!" holding up a thumbs up to his friend, Jaden chuckled, waiting for Yusei to approve. In turn, Yusei smiled back at him, forgetting about his home momentarily and nodding at him.

"Yeah. Thanks."


	3. Neos

_What to do, what to do…_ Jaden's eyes drifted towards Yusei for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. Both boys had attempted to follow the maniac's trails, but they were led on nothing but hope. They were lost, and they didn't really have any information on who exactly Heresy was or where he was at that point. It was kind of useless to just sit there, but seeing as they had no information to go by, they had to wait until the evil made his move.

Both boys sat there on the couch in the common room of Jaden's dorm, both of them sipping at some hot chocolate Jaden had offered to make. Yusei wasn't apt to drink at first, but when he was nervous he tended to take more than his share of sips and burned his lips numerous times. Jaden found his hilarious as Yusei seemed to be the type to really stay serious most of the time. But then again, everyone has their weak moments. Even Yusei.

"Yusei…" the older boy looked over at him, blinking. "Yes?" they hadn't had much conversation since they went on the search for the evil, and Jaden intended to get to know him better, even if it took him the rest of the vacation.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?" Yusei asked back, not understanding the question. Jaden sighed, staring into his cup of chocolate. "What's it like in New Domino City? I mean… what's it like in the future?"

Yusei pursed his lips, the old memories of his friends coming to light in his eyes. The duel runners would be revved up, Jack would be waiting with his duel disk, and Crow would have that stupid smile he always had. Friendly eyes and gestures plastered themselves into his mind as he struggled to tuck them away and focus on Jaden's question.

"Where I grew up… it's nothing but poverty." He began, gripping his mug more. "My father… he was a researcher… and one day one of his experiments didn't go so well…"

Jaden remained silent, fingering his cup. He didn't want to force Yusei to tell him something he didn't feel comfortable telling him about.

"He saved me… he sent me to the outskirts of the city, where the Satellite is."

"Satellite?"

"Satellite is where the poverty is… it's where I grew up. I was taken in by an orphanage in Satellite and eventually made friends with Jack and Crow…"

"They were the ones you were thinking of when we dueled Paradox right?" Jaden asked; his voice soft and quiet. Yusei nodded, taking another sip of his chocolate. He was nervous.

"I kept promising to myself that I would protect them as much as I could… I would always find a way to protect them, but now…" his voice trailed off as his mind began to think of the chaos that had already erupted in New Domino because of that maniac. The silence filled the room again, and as Jaden gazed back at his friend, he offered a sad smile.

"Hey, don't worry, like I said, we're gonna find this guy and beat the crap out of him!" Yusei grunted. "Easy for you to say, your time is still intact." His words silenced Jaden, forcing him into a state of sorrow. He was trying his best to be happy and cheerful, but it seemed as if Yusei wasn't in the mood to talk about such things. What did he even do for a hobby anyways?

After a few more moments of silence, Jaden spoke again, hoping to take Yusei's mind off things. "Hey… so… what do you do besides dueling? I mean, the last time I saw your duel runner, it was pretty sweet. Did you make it yourself?"

At this, Yusei seemed to brighten up a bit, possibly smiling. "Yeah, I made it out of scrap metal. The majority of us in Satellite don't even have enough money for ourselves, so we just take things we find in the junkyard and make it work."

"Wow!" Jaden exclaimed, smiling at him. "That must have taken you forever!"

"It took me a few years to make yes, but it was well worth it. That duel runner has been through hell and back."

"You must be like… a junk expert! No wonder your deck is all machine and mecha type monsters!"

"My deck consists of cards that make up a little bit of stronger cards, that way; none of their power is wasted when I use them in a duel." Yusei seemed to be getting a little better now. Jaden realized that in order for them to continue with their friendship, they had to keep a bond going. He knew that they had formed a bond before, but they hadn't seen each other since that fateful day. It was only human instinct to want to get to know someone better.

"It's the same with my cards." Jaden added, tilting his head lightly. "Whenever I duel, I use smaller monsters that can fuse together to make larger and more powerful monsters. Each one of them has a certain power level that can help in a duel!"

Yusei smiled at him fondly, nodding. "How long have you been dueling anyways?" now it was Jaden's turn to talk. Putting a finger to his lips, Jaden shrugged a little. "I have no idea… I started learning the game when I was very young, so I don't really remember much of it."

Yusei's smile faded as a question look appeared on his face. "So, where are we exactly? The last time we met it was in Venice…"

"Oh this? We're in Duel Academy!" Jaden explained, brightening. "Duel Academy?" Yusei mimicked.

"Yeah! This is where students come to sign up to learn about Duel Monsters! They go to classes and learn how to play the game, and even become teachers themselves!"

"Well by the way you duel, I'm sure you get all A's in your classes." Yusei mused, smiling at him. Jaden flushed a little, rubbing his head. "Not really… I often fall asleep in class. It's just so boring to be in there all the time listening to lectures!"

"I would love to go a classroom and learn like that…" the older boy sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Something like Duel Academy… I would like to go there and learn… everything I learned about Duel Monsters came from my own experience."

"That's how I learn best too." Jaden replied, chuckling. "I'd rather be out there learning in the field than sitting in a classroom!"

Their laughter rung in the room, Yusei gazing at Jaden with warmth. "Hey, if you ever get the chance, will you show me around? I would like to see some of the places where you go to class."

"Well we were just in the Duel Hall a few hours ago. That's where we held our match."

"The corridors and hallways are so confusing… but I guess you get used to it after a while." The light from the lamps flickered and shadowed them, both of their young faces coming into the light. Their friendship was growing.

* * *

><p>After not hearing from Heresy all night, the next morning Jaden decided to take Yusei out for a little stroll around the academy. Everyone was off campus; only a few custodians and janitors roaming about to keep the place clean. In some ways, Jaden was grateful that he was a lazy packer. Had it not been for his carelessness he would have never found Yusei like he had done. It was a good and bad thing in its own way.<p>

They strolled down to the center of the Domino City, where the hustle and bustle caused Yusei to remind him of his own home. Jaden knew that this would stir his memories, but it would also stir some good feelings within him. The best cure for any sadness was to go out with a friend.

"Hey." He said, seeing the older boy turn to him. "Let's get some ice cream, what do you say?" Yusei stared at him almost as if he had two heads. Jaden flushed, blinking. "Well c'mon it's hot out today!"

Smiling warmly Yusei followed Jaden one of the stores they happened to pass by, the bell on the door ringing in their ears. Surprisingly the place was empty, and the streets outside were filled with people. Jaden looked around, calling out.

"Hello?"

Yusei gazed around as well, seeing no one. "There's nobody in here… what's up with that?" he asked. Jaden shrugged, pushing in a chair to the one of the tables. The sign on the door said open, and there was light in the store which meant someone was operating this place.

"I thought it would be open…" a few seconds after Jaden spoke a blast of hot air whisked their hair, causing them to fly back into the wall. Yusei toppled over a few tables as he collapsed towards the ground, Jaden getting covered in debris as he landed on his side.

The two of them rubbed their heads, examining the damage that the blast created. Jaden was the first to speak. "What happened?"

The ceiling was broken into, the glass from the window shattered and glass littering the floor and shimmering in the sunlight. Outside everyone was screaming and running, a familiar shadow making its way towards them. The glass crunched under his feet as he approached them, that smirk upon his face.

"Hello."

Yusei growled, narrowing his eyes. "You again!" standing up from the pile of debris, he clenched his fist, readying his duel disk. "Did you come back for more?" he asked, growling under his breath.

Heresy merely shook his head, stepping closer to him. "You see, I have the power of the Duel Monster beast that is to be released, and the more Duel Monsters there are about, the more power I gain!"

"What're you saying?" Jaden asked, confused. "That doesn't even make sense!" Heresy sighed, trying again. "What I mean to say is this." He cleared his throat. "Wherever there is a duel monster there is also a certain energy or 'chi' that comes out of them, making them more real than regular holographic images."

"And you absorb their chi in order to gain more power so you can summon this dragon that is going to destroy the world?" Yusei finished. Clapping his hands together and laughing, Heresy nodded. "He can be taught!"

Jaden growled, his anger coming to light. "Hey! Quit messing around and let's duel!" his harsh words caught Heresy off guard, the man taking a light step back. The brown eyes slowly began to turn with rage and his hands ran towards his duel disk. But before he could make another move, something shot out of him like a beam, striking Heresy to the floor.

"What?" blinking and shaking from the reaction, a grey monster stood in front of him, its blue eyes gazing back at him over its shoulder. Jaden's eyes widened. "N-Neos?"

Looking down upon his arm, there was no duel disk attached to him, but rather a string of light that came from his heart to Neos. The monster was connected to him via energy wave, Jaden feeling exactly what Neos was feeling.

"Neos… what is this? How can this happen?" he asked, his eyes wide with confusion. The monster merely gazed back at him for a few more seconds before tackling over Heresy again, the evil man sprawling towards the outside. Jaden's rage was infusing Neos with great power, far beyond what he intended.

Yusei could do nothing but watch in semi horror and complete fascination. This had taken dueling to a whole new level. "If Neos is attached to Jaden… then where his… how did he…"

Heresy growled, clutching his now bleeding side. He had been attacked at random, the dragon above him roaring in disapproval and ready to attack.

"No, no, we mustn't attack just yet… we have to wait…" the man replied to the dragon, the beast roaring again at its master's will. Neos stood at the ready, Jaden feeling the threat of danger upon him and wanting to rid himself of it. He wanted to protect Yusei.

Grinning and holding up something to the light, Heresy smirked. "You have a lot to learn boy!" and with that, smoke filled the air, Heresy disappearing before their eyes and leaving them alone to tend to the broken store.

* * *

><p>"Are you alright Yusei?" the older boy gazed at his friend, who was still attached to the monster that stood next to them. Jaden walked over to Yusei, looking at him worriedly. "You're not hurt are you?"<p>

"How are you… how is Neos even here without you holding a duel disk?" Yusei completely dismissed Jaden's question as he stared at Neos, the monster gazing back at him quietly.

Jaden turned to his monster, blinking twice and running a hand through his hair. "Actually… I have no idea. All I did was get mad… and then before you know it, Neos is here." Pointing towards his heart, Jaden continued. "Maybe it has something to do with that 'chi' stuff Heresy was talking about?"

Yusei nodded, coming closer to Neos now. The monster gazed at him more, and then broke into a million pieces, the string of light dying down and returning to Jaden's heart as if it had never appeared.

Yusei almost stumbled back at the motion, but took a look at Jaden, who was just as puzzled as he was. The two of them stood in silence for a second, letting their thoughts wander and the echoes of the people outside ring in their ears. There was a beating coming from Jaden's heart as well, and for some reason he knew that there were two hearts instead of one.


	4. Strange Feelings

The hot chocolate seemed to be getting colder every second, but neither one of them bothered to move. The common room was filled with the delicious aroma, but their fingers made no movement to place the cup to their lips. It was silent.

Jaden cleared his throat, uneasiness about the room. He knew that Yusei had seen Neos as well, and Neos had come out of nowhere. He wanted to get Yusei to talk, but seeing as Yusei was just as surprised as he was there wasn't really much to say. Luckily, Yusei was the one who spoke first.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know… how did Neos come out of you? How was he…"

"Real?"

"Yeah."

Jaden shook his head, shrugging at the same time. "I'm not sure…" it was at that moment that Jaden realized Yubel hadn't spoken at all during this time. He had a better mind to ask her what the heck was going on.

"_Jaden, Yusei had the same abilities as you." _

"I know that, but how did I do that in the first place?"

Yusei gazed up at Jaden, and then turned his gaze to the demon standing behind him. Yubel's multicolored eyes traced him warily, but trust landed itself in her heart and she spoke directly to him.

"_Since Heresy is causing a little rip in the time space continuum, reality as we know it has been fused with the Duel Monsters Spirit world." _

"Duel Monsters world?" Jaden asked, blinking. "Where we went to save my friends? Where I became the supreme king?" Yubel smiled at him in return, sighing to herself.

"_Yes Jaden, that very same world. But now that the rip has occurred, Duel Monsters will be more real than anything."_ Turning to Yusei and gazing at him, Yubel continued, her gaze on Yusei and him only.

"_Yusei has the same abilities… he is able to Spirit Summon any monster he wishes." _

"Spirit Summon?" Yusei asked. He was knowledgeable about the Spirit World, but not about any Spirit Summoning. Thinking back to the battle Jaden had with Heresy, Yusei did happen to notice that the string of light was coming from Jaden's heart. Perhaps that was what kept the monster connected to him.

"_But you must be cautious of this power."_ Yubel added, flicking her hair aside. Her third eye opened and closed momentarily as she thought of how to put her words. She would never put her love in danger.

"_Once you have summoned a monster… it is connected to your soul. If the monster dies, then you too will die." _

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Jaden interrupted, holding up his hands. "You mean that if Neos dies I go along with him?"

"_That is correct." _

"Does that apply for every monster?" Yusei asked, looking through his deck. If that rule applied to all of his monsters, then they would be doomed to fail. There were too many monsters in each of their decks, and if even one was destroyed, then they would lose their souls.

"_It does not Yusei."_ Yubel responded, shaking her head. _"The rule only applies to those monsters you feel have a connection to you." _

"Oh! I get it now!" Jaden said, smiling when he did so. "That's why I felt that way towards Neos! Neos is my favorite card and I had a spiritual connection with him!"

"If that's so…" Yusei's fingers traced over his favorite card, the dragon seeming to call out to him. His eyes dimmed at the thought of dying alongside the Stardust.

"Then Stardust Dragon and I have that same bond." He paused, understanding. "The question remains however… how do we summon these monsters? Obviously we can't use our duel disks, so how do we do it?"

"_The need for protection is the only thing that can Spirit Summon a monster. The bond you have with your monsters is limited to only one per person." _

Jaden rubbed his head, getting lost. "Hang on a second, I'm a little confused here." He said, smiling nervously. "So you're saying we only have one connection?"

"_Yes." _

"And that connection can't be with any other monster. I get it now." Yusei looked over his card and placed it in his coat pocket near his heart. That card had a special connection to him, and he was sure that Stardust would have been more than happy to accompany him in any of their trials.

Yubel smiled at them both before vanishing back into Jaden's body, her words echoing in their minds. The younger boy sighed and gazed at Yusei, who was staring into his cup of chocolate.

"The need to protect huh." Jaden said absent mindedly, crossing his legs and laying back. "If we see that Heresy guy again I'm sure we'll need those Spirit monsters."

"If what Yubel said was true, we have to be careful about how we go about this." Yusei responded, thinking. "We can't afford to lose our monsters…"

"Cheer up pal!" Jaden exclaimed, smiling. "We've got nothing to worry about! With the two of us combined there isn't anything we can't do!" he held up a thumbs up to his friend, hoping to make him feel better.

Yusei slowly cracked a smile and drank his chocolate, almost spitting it out. "It's cold!" he stated, trying to rid his mouth of the foul taste. Jaden laughed at the reaction and took his cup, making him a new one. "Do you want anything to eat?" he asked, heading over to the kitchen.

Yusei shrugged, taking off his jacket. "I don't have anything in mind… whatever you want." He replied, stretching his arms and walking over to Jaden. The brown eyes traced Yusei's body in the corner of their lids, and Jaden's heart couldn't help but feel something pulling him towards the stud.

Pulling out various kitchen items and setting them down, Jaden opened up a few packages of food and sniffed at them, trying to figure out what his friend wanted. He wasn't sure what Yusei's favorite food was, but if it helped them bond a little more; then he would do anything to help.

"Hey, can we have this?" turning around at the deep voice, Jaden noticed Yusei holding up a cup of ramen, chopsticks in his other hand. Jaden smiled warmly and closed the fridge, going over to his friend. "Sure!"

Pouring the hot water into the ramen they began to eat, the sounds of silent slurping filling the dorm. Jaden sighed, setting down his cup for a moment and speaking. The ticking of the clock on the wall signaled eight in the evening and it was then that he realized Yusei had stayed a total of two days with him, far longer than their previous adventure together.

"Yusei… what's it like in the future? I mean… you said everyone struggles to survive… but I don't believe that…"

Yusei paused, gazing into his noodles. He took a breath. "The future… it's what you make of it Jaden. I mean… I only live in Satellite because of what happened with my father's research…"

"What happened?"

Yusei paused again, unsure of whether to answer him or not. They had just met after all, even if they had previously gone on adventures together. They weren't sure of each other's body language, nor were they sure what the other was thinking. He had to be careful.

"My father… worked with a research company that helped developed Ener-D…" his voice trailed on and on, something inside of him telling him that Jaden was the one person he could trust with this knowledge. If he was to make it home in one piece he would need all the help he could get, and if that meant sharing with Jaden the very knowledge that bought his city into ruin then he was willing to take the risk.

"So… everyone in the future rides duel runners?"

"Not necessarily. Some people do… like me, Jack, Crow…"

"They're your best friends right? The ones you mentioned who grew up with you in Satellite."

"Yeah. They grew up in the same orphanage I did. We all bonded over our love of duel monsters and machinery."

"Oh yeah!" Jaden snapped his fingers, a thought coming into his mind. "You said you built that Duel Runner yourself right? It should come as no surprise that you're into machinery and that sort of thing!"

Yusei smiled fondly at him, nodding his head. _Jaden… he's a funny character. He's so bright and light hearted… I wonder if he's ever had any troubles in his past. _

"Anyways." Jaden went on, getting up from his seat. "It's getting late. You comfortable bunking on the couch? Syrus isn't here… I could offer you his bed."

"I don't want to cause too much trouble." Yusei replied, getting up with him. Running a hand through his black hair he yawned slightly, shaking his head. "Wherever you want to put me is fine. I'm used to sleeping in my garage."

"I'm not gonna put you in a garage, that's for sure." Jaden replied chuckling. Waving a hand towards Yusei, Jaden motioned for him to follow. They entered into Jaden's room that was shared with two other roommates. A candle was lit in the corner and shadows were beginning to bounce off the walls as the night settled in.

Jaden climbed into his bed and began to take out his pajamas, taking off his shoes and tossing them aside. Yusei gazed at the other beds and spoke gently.

"Am I sleeping in here?"

"Sure! If that's what you feel like doing. It wouldn't be right for you to sleep on the couch for two nights in a row." Jaden replied, pulling off his socks. "After all, you only slept there because I thought you were leaving tonight, but since you're here already why not make yourself at home?"

Yusei chuckled and sat down on Syrus's bed, looking at the sheets and pulling them up, taking off his boots. "Thanks Jaden."

The younger boy looked up from his position and gazed at him for a second. "What for?" he asked, tilting his head. Yusei smiled. "You're a good kid. Thanks for helping me out."

Jaden shook his head, laughing. "Don't mention it. What're friends for anyways right?"

"Right." Climbing into the bed, Yusei was about to put his head down when a voice stopped him. "You're not sleeping like that are you?"

Sitting back up Yusei stared at Jaden blankly. "Why?"

"You just wore those clothes! I can't let you sleep in those! They're filthy!"

"I'll be fine." He replied, eager to go to bed. Jaden sighed and shook his head again, pulling on Yusei's arm. The older boy glared at him but complied nonetheless. "C'mon… I'm sure I have something in here for you."

* * *

><p>Yusei's clothes ended up in the laundry and Jaden was stuck having to find him new things to wear. Of course Yusei was a good few inches taller than Jaden and as luck would have it, Jaden had nothing for him to wear. At least nothing that fit him properly.<p>

It was a problem altogether. Sometimes the shirt would be too small, or Yusei would just be too buff for the clothing. The older boy felt extremely embarrassed, as his cheeks were red.

"Jaden… I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

"It isn't that, it's just that you're my friend and I gotta take care of friends, you know?" Yusei sighed at his words, trying on another shirt. Pulling it over his spiky hair, the shirt hardly fit on his physique, his abs threatening to rip it apart. Jaden couldn't help but laugh at this, helping him pull it off.

"Maybe you should just sleep without a shirt on. It'd probably be better for you anyways."

"I think so… when are my clothes going to get clean?"

"They'll be done by tomorrow. Don't worry about it. For now, just get some rest, and then we can figure out all this Duel Monsters stuff in the morning."

Sighing to himself mostly, Yusei pulled up his boxers and once again sat himself down upon the bed. Jaden was in his pajamas as well, but the sticky hot of the night was slowly getting to him. Jaden wasn't nearly as buff as Yusei was, but he wasn't about to go and take off his shirt. He had a better mind not to.

Unfortunately the sweat that beaded down his forehead screamed at him. It was only a few minutes after Jaden had turned off the light and already he was feeling nervous about taking off his shirt. He didn't want to seem childish to Yusei. Speaking quietly, he called to him.

"Yusei?"

"Yeah?" the strong voice called back to him quietly, Jaden's cheeks heating up when his ears picked up the sweet sound. He smiled to himself, sitting up.

"How old are you anyways?"

"What bought this up?"

"Well…" he paused, gazing at the body who lay only a few feet away from him. The moonlight shone on Yusei, tracing his figure and creating a beautiful shadow that lay across the room.

"You keep calling me kid. I can't be that much younger than you for you to be calling me that."

"I guess. I'm twenty." Jaden froze in his speech, rubbing his head in embarrassment. "Oh… then I guess you can call me that…"

"How old are you?" Yusei asked, turning around to face him. He had been facing the wall before, and now their eyes met, some strange feeling passing through each of their hearts.

"Eighteen."

"You've got a ways to go." Yusei replied, smiling at him gently. Jaden's brown eyes couldn't relieve themselves of those sapphires that gazed at him silently. His smile was so genuine, his eyes were so warm. Jaden's heart skipped a beat.

The younger boy intrigued Yusei a great deal. He was playful and silly, almost childish. But when push came to shove, Jaden found a way to draw out his inner courage and strength, lending Yusei to believe there was more to Jaden then meets the eye.

It was then that he felt his heart skip a beat, his hand coming up to his chest momentarily. Both boys spoke at once.

"Good night."

Silence filled the air as they gazed at one another, Jaden getting back in bed and taking off his shirt. His courage had finally pulled through.

That slender body was beginning to form muscle, the skin still smooth and young. He was still growing too, so he would probably be Yusei's height. His hair was soft against his check as Jaden laid down, his brown eyes closing and sleep overcoming him.

In the darkness Yusei smiled, something warm and fuzzy settling itself down in his chest and making him wonder why he stared at Jaden the way he did.


	5. Getting To Know You

Opening his eyes and gazing at the ceiling above him, he yawned silently, wondering what the day would bring. In truth he didn't expect everything to happen so quickly. The fact that Yusei was here with him in this time made his mind go gaga, but then again it was the Crimson Dragon who bought them together. They had a mission to accomplish; they were going to save the world again. They weren't going to do it with Yugi this time however, as they hadn't gone back in time again.

Jaden leaned his head back upon his pillow more, his vision getting lost in the white above him and his mind drifting off to a place where only he dwelled. It had been three days now, and the spring break lasted about ten days. He didn't know whether or not he should have been worried about this, but the fact that he and Yusei were working together again made him happier than he ever felt in his entire life.

The first time they had met, Yusei had saved Jaden from Paradox's evil blast. It was back in Venice, and Yusei had come crashing through the time rip just in time. His entrance was practically imprinted onto Jaden's memory. His bike rode through the Dragon, the flames licking at the wheels and forcing Jaden to shield his eyes.

It was a beautiful thing that he would always remember. When they began to talk at first, Jaden was nervous and could hardly get a word out as his heart was fluttering. He remembered Yubel and his professor speaking with Yusei as well, as they could communicate with him. Yusei certainly was special. If it hadn't been for the both of them teaming up to get Yugi, who knows where the world might have ended up?

Turning his head towards the bed that was on the opposite of the room, he gazed at the body that lay before him. The breathing was calm, and the room was still silent. Jaden found himself tracing those spikes of hair with his eyes very calmly, his heart beginning to flutter as he did so. He was praying this feeling was mutual.

* * *

><p>He was still on his side, but he gripped the sheets when he heard the other boy move. His blue eyes opened and closed twice, trying to get back to sleep, but after Jaden had moved he couldn't seem to get back to sleep. There was something peculiar about him. Thinking back to when they first met, Yusei lowered his eyes to the sheets.<p>

His smile was so warm and genuine, his eyes so bright and caring. His laughter was carefree and airy, signaling Yusei that Jaden was someone who didn't really have any deep dark secrets. Aside from the ability to have Yubel placed within him, Jaden was a rather joyous soul. He was pure of heart, and now with the Spirit Summoning, Yusei knew that there was something within Jaden that made him want to protect Yusei with all of his might.

The little time they spent together last time was enough to make Yusei realize that Jaden gazed at him a peculiar way. When they were dueling together with Yugi he had noticed it. Yugi of course noticed it as well, but seeing as they weren't exactly hanging out, they couldn't have a one on one talk. And besides, he didn't really think Yugi to be THAT kind of guy. He had Anzu after all, and she was more than Yugi could even handle.

Closing his eyes again, he remembered to keep his breathing calm and steady, in chances of fooling the ever impressionable Jaden into thinking he was still sleeping. Since he was facing the wall, it was easy to fake something like that.

Listening close to the sound of his heartbeat in his ears, he realized that it was fluttering wildly, almost pounding. Yusei flushed a bit, drawing a breath in and setting his breathing to normal rate. Inside, he was praying.

* * *

><p>"What do you want for breakfast?"<p>

"Anything; Jaden, you know I'm not picky."

Smiling at his friend Jaden took out some money from his wallet and gathered his belongings. "Why don't we go out to eat then? It'll be a little chance for us to really get to hang out. Every time we do we get interrupted!"

Yusei set down his tea mug and smiled back at Jaden, standing up from his chair and following him out. The sun greeted them as they stepped outside, the world around them bright and airy, as if Heresy never existed. Looking up into the azure sky, Yusei spoke.

"A blue sky… it's rare that we see that in Satellite…"

Jaden turned his head to his friend, his eyes set upon him gently. They had gotten up together, Jaden lending Yusei bathroom items so that he could clean up a bit. They hadn't spoken in real conversation since that night, and Jaden thought it would be a good idea if they had the opportunity to do so. The only problem with Yusei was that he was very serious. About everything.

"C'mon Yusei, you have to be a little more lighted than that!" putting a hand on Yusei's shoulder, Jaden smiled at him. "I'm sure that the future is bright, regardless of what you think!" Yusei smiled weakly at his friend's reply.

"It isn't that Jaden… I'm just… I'm just worried that I'll mess up…"

"How so?" Jaden inquired.

"I'll… make the same mistakes my father did…" gazing at his hands, Yusei's eyes turned dark, memories flooding through his head. Jaden sighed, shaking his head and losing the smile.

"Yusei, come on. You have to believe that you have the ability to do really well. You're more than you think you are."

Azure eyes met his in bewilderment. Jaden blinked twice, not knowing where those words came from. The younger boy turned away, the older boy still curious as to where the comment came from.

"L-Let's go Yusei! Aren't you hungry?" Jaden began to walk away, Yusei staring after him for a second. He was lighthearted, he was true, he was…

Stepping up beside him, Yusei gazed around the city that they walked through. Jaden had showed Yusei the way around the dorms and into the city, where they were yesterday. They passed the ice cream parlor that had gotten ruined in their battle with Heresy, Yubel's words ringing in their heads.

* * *

><p>When they came to the diner Jaden pushed open the door and ordered a table for two. Curious onlookers double took and whispered, but remained mainly to themselves. Taking a seat and ordering their drinks, Yusei decided to speak.<p>

"What do you like to do Jaden?"

Looking up from his hot chocolate, Jaden blinked at him, the sunlight shadowing his face rather nicely. His brown hair gleamed in Yusei's eyes and for a second he couldn't think of anything else.

"Me? Well I like dueling! You know that."

"You asked me what I liked to do yesterday right?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, I mean what's your hobby? I mean… you can't just duel all the time."

Putting a finger to his lips, Jaden honestly thought about the question. Nobody had ever asked him something like this before. He really didn't do much besides dueling, and to be truthful he didn't think he would be very good at anything else.

"I guess… I remember when I was very little…" he smiled warmly, memories flooding his mind. "I entered into the Duel Monsters Drawing competition in hopes that my card would be made into a duel monsters card. I used to draw all the time."

"You draw? What cards have you drawn?"

Initially it was Jaden who wanted to ask the questions, but Yusei seemed to have taken the reigns. The waiter had come back to ask their orders and when they were done they continued their conversation. Yusei was very upfront and pleasant, while Jaden was very outgoing and jumpy. They were two very similar yet different personalities.

"Oh you know… just cards that I thought were really good back in the day. I stopped drawing once I got into Duel Monsters." Taking a sip of his drink, he smiled sheepishly. "The game just got so time consuming, I thought I would never go back to drawing."

"Do you do it for fun? I mean… with me…" Yusei paused, a warm smile overcoming his usually hard face. "I mess around with different mecha parts and things of that nature. I mean my entire deck is mecha and machines."

"And my deck is full of superheroes!" Jaden exclaimed, now understanding the point. "I like the fact that I can have somebody to look up to, you know? Someone who knows right from wrong, and has no problem serving justice to those who need it."

Yusei chuckled a bit, tilting his head to the side. "Someone who knows right from wrong? Sounds like you really look up to superheroes."

"Well what superheroes do they have in the future? I mean, they must be pretty awesome!"

"Come to think of it, I don't know of any superheroes in the future." Yusei shrugged, sipping at his tea. "Maybe I haven't been paying attention."

"Do my cards still exist in the future?"

"Your cards? What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Jaden paused, thinking of his question. He fingered his cup, tracing the rim and thinking hard. "Do they have my cards in the future? I want to know if there's… there are any more cards of mine… or…"

Silence overcame him as Yusei realized what he was saying. Shaking his head slightly, Yusei gazed back at Jaden.

"I… I don't know anything about that. Jaden…. You can't worry about that. I understand your concern, but… something like that…"

"Forget it." He said in response, his eyes darkening. Yusei backed off, surprised by Jaden's sudden remark. The younger boy pursed his lips, gazing out of the glass window and into the street before them. He swallowed, and left the silence lingering.

A few minutes later Jaden decided to speak again, his shoulders sagging. "When I said I wanted to protect you, what I meant was…"

"Here you go!" before he could speak more, the waiter had come and set down their food, Yusei gazing at him expectantly. Jaden locked eyes with him and something passed between them. That familiar feeling passed, and before they knew it, both of them were digging into their food, their hearts fluttering and secret smiles on their faces.


	6. Stardust

"Listen…" their steps were in pace with one another, they were in sync. Nothing had occurred outside of their breakfast time together, and words were hardly exchanged. It was a mutual feeling they had for one another, but for some reason they couldn't seem to get a good conversation going. It was like they were separated, but they really weren't.

The city was buzzing all around them, and even as they walked, Yusei wanted to know. He wanted to know what Jaden was going to say, as the younger boy had never finished his sentence.

"I want to know what you were going to say back there. When we were at the diner." Jaden's steps slowed until he came to a stop, his eyes cast downwards. He wasn't going to answer truthfully, and in a way he was scared of what might happen. But then again he trusted Yusei with a certain feeling he couldn't describe. It was inevitable that they were bonding.

"Yusei… all I meant was…" he scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with good words. Jaden swallowed, tugging on his bag a little and beginning to walk away.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't mean anything by it. It was just word vomit, you know? I was thinking too much about things and I was going to-"

"Jaden." Yusei cut him off, stepping towards him a little. Jaden unconsciously stepped backwards, gazing at him silently. The older boy turned away for a second, swallowing. His hand came up and rubbed the back of neck, thoughts flowing in and out of his mind. A slight breeze blew through and rustled Yusei's hair a bit, his eyes turning back to Jaden.

"You have to trust me Jaden. I know… I know we just met and all but… if we have any hope of defeating his Heresy character-"

"Yeah… I gotcha." Jaden concluded, blinking and tilting his head. He rubbed his arm a little, possibly mimicking what Yusei was doing. "The thing is… I do trust you. I mean, you helped Yugi and I save the world before, so why shouldn't I trust you?"

"Then what was it you were going to tell me?" Yusei asked, his eyes narrowing. "I don't like being left in the dark about things."

Jaden's mouth opened twice, but both times all that came out was the air in his lungs. Why couldn't he just tell him that he wanted to protect Yusei? He wanted to make sure that Yusei wouldn't get hurt at all. If he was kicked down, Jaden would be right there to back him up and make the enemy pay. Those azure eyes were imprinted so deep in his mind he thought that the sky was the only thing that rivaled them in beauty.

Jaden's break only came when a certain cry echoed throughout the air, causing both of them to look up and into the sky, a large shadow covering them. The cry echoed louder, the wings of a dragon overtaking most of the city in a cloud that seemed never ending.

"It's Heresy!" Yusei cried, glaring up at the behemoth of a dragon. The ground cracked at their feet, and before they knew it, they were thrust upwards and into the air, the wind carrying them higher and higher.

Stone pillars erupted from the ground, the wind placing them down upon the now towering pieces of jagged rock. Jaden stumbled twice but caught his balance, seeing Yusei off on another rock in the distance.

"Yusei!" he cried, worry filling his heart. Yusei gazed back at him only for a moment before turning his attention towards the man who spiraled out of the air and towards them. He whistled twice, the large black dragon coming face to face with them once again. The monster seemed to glare them down, and it was then that Jaden realized that this dragon wasn't exactly a duel monster.

"What do you want Heresy?" Yusei shouted, raising a fist. "Is it another fight you want?"

"Oh yes I do." the man replied, taking out a nail file and seeming to act uninterested in their conversation. "You see, the more you fight, the more spiritual energy you give off, thus making the dragon all the happier."

"You said that you absorbed a duel monster's 'chi' right? Is that the spiritual energy you're talking about?" Yusei asked, glaring at him all the same and a growl in his voice.

"Ah! You do remember well!" Heresy clapped his hands together thoughtfully. "Well then, since you are certainly the scholarly type, why not make a math equation out of this?"

"How about we fight first and do math later? Math was never my subject anyways." Jaden snapped, holding out his duel disk.

"Patience, patience dear boy! We still have a little time to play!" Heresy replied, holding up his hands. The nail file was put away as Heresy took out something from his pocket that neither boy recognized. A glass orb filled with a sort of blue smoke was in Heresy's hands, a strange white light emanating from the glass.

"You see, this is all the chi I have gained from the duel monsters I have fought over the past few days."

"And?" asked Jaden, eager to get his Neos out and running. Heresy clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

"You are just so impatient. Didn't your mother ever teach you that it was rude to interrupt others?" Jaden growled and held his tongue, waiting for the chance to strike. This Heresy guy loved to talk a lot, and Jaden found no reason not to let him have it when he was given the chance.

"Now, as I was saying." Heresy continued, slightly annoyed at the little interruption. "The 'chi' that is contained within this glass orb is steadily growing as the days go by, for you see, as I destroy more monsters, I also gain more power."

"And what about the dragon? Or whatever beast it is you're going to resurrect? Is that beast going to feed off of you just like you fed off of the monsters that you destroyed?" Yusei shouted, clenching his fist. "Is it going to devour you?"

"Heavens no! That's both disgusting and inhumane!" Heresy shuddered a bit, shaking his head back and forth. "What I'm going to do is I'm going to combine my might with the beast, and together we will rebuild this world in the name of my brother!"

"So does this mean the future that Paradox feared still exists?" asked Jaden, now almost confused as to what was going on. The rock beneath their feet began to quiver with might, and Jaden nearly lost his balance again.

"The Earth is trembling boys!" Heresy cried, the dragon roaring in approval and sending out a howl that nearly knocked them clean off the rocks. "Do you not feel it? The beast is going to be resurrected! And when it is, I will be the one controlling it!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it! You are one sick puppy!" Jaden cried, roaring at him. Heresy laughed almost gaily, but his eyes narrowed at Jaden's words. "You will pay for your insubordination!"

The dragon that was hovering before them now opened its red eyes, staring them down hard. Jaden and Yusei both froze in their tracks, a cold shiver running down their spine.

"Did I introduce you two? Oh this is my pet, Red Eyes Black Dragon."

"Red eyes?" murmured Yusei, not taking his gaze off the dragon. It looked so familiar, but in another way he couldn't recognize it. The scales were pure black, like the night itself. The red eyes traced the wary Yusei as he struggled to maintain his balance. Jaden on the other hand, was ready for action.

"Let the fun… begin!" in a sudden burst of intense light, Heresy was gone and nothing remained of him except for the dragon that stared the boys down. The wings of the beast beat hard, roaring at them and preparing for an attack.

"Neos!" another burst of light caught Yusei off guard as the super warrior thrust a punch out at the dragon, making it cry out in anguish as it hurtled towards the ground. He turned to Jaden, who had that same glare in his eyes as before.

"Jaden!"

The younger boy glanced at him over his shoulder and smiled, nodding his head. His hair was blown by the wind, making him look a bit more wise and older than normal. Yusei paused, gazing at him almost incredulously.

_Is that really… Jaden? _

A roar tore them apart as the beasts fought, Neos dodging the swiping claws of the dragon and only barely missing being hit with its head. A deep roar erupted from the dragon's throat as its mouth lit up in a hellish fire that would be shot forward at them.

"It's getting ready to attack!" Yusei cried, taking a step back. His hand automatically reached for his deck, but his subconscious knew that it was no use. The holographic monsters would have no effect on a real dragon of this size and caliber. He growled, cursing under his breath.

"Neos, let's go!" Jaden cried, running towards his monster. "Finish off that dragon!" the monster replied with a nod, and managed to hold down the wings of the dragon as it spiraled down again, struggling to maintain its grip. A powerful whip lash of its tail caused Neos to lose its grip, sending it tumbling to the ground below.

"Neos!" before he could move a searing pain tore through his arm, the exact place where his monster was hit. Jaden fell to his knees, clutching his left arm as a cut erupted from his skin and burned at him. He shouted aloud, his other hand covering the wound as much as possible. Yusei looked on fearfully, swallowing hard.

_Even when our monsters take damage, the bond between us is so strong that we feel what they feel. Yubel wasn't lying when she said if we lose our monsters, we lose our lives… _

Gathering up its strength, the dragon propelled itself through the air, knocking over a few trees and thrashing about wildly, trying to fly upwards. Neos was on the ground, looking up into the eyes of the dragon that would more than likely chow him down for lunch.

Jaden struggled to upright himself, blood pouring down his arm and his angry gaze fading as his strength melted away. He grit his teeth, falling again upon his knees and almost unable to maintain himself. Yusei couldn't help but feel a pulse in his heart, a surge that made him angry at himself for being so useless in this situation.

That strange pulse beat throughout his entire body, sending electrical waves through his fingers and his body, lighting him up like some sort of ecstasy. He breathed out, a strange warmth overcoming him. His bones tingled, his skin vibrated, and even his eyes trembled as his body began the summoning.

The Red Eyes was up in the air now, hovering menacingly over Neos. The monster shot itself towards the dragon, but was easily swatted away with a claw. It fell down hard, creating a crater in the Earth that it fell upon. Jaden cried out in pain, now falling to his side and the light from his chest dying as the string began to vibrate and vanish. He was slowly losing his grip with Neos.

"Jaden!" Yusei's voice thundered over the sound of the dragon's beating wings and it was then that he realized what the pulse was. The feeling bought him to scream, that light shooting out of him and forcing him to stumble back a bit.

Closing his eyes Yusei cried out to the heavens above and as the Red Eyes prepared its last attack a deafening roar interrupted everything. Beautiful blue sparks rained down from the sky, broad white and silver wings covering the sun. Silver eyes gazed at Yusei's frozen form as the head bowed, another roar escaping the throat. The tail swished back and forth, the claws ready for action. The dragon seemed to smile at him, speaking softly.

_It is time. _

Forcing his eyes to open, Yusei gazed up into the silvery eyes that were owned by his dragon. His heart was pounding hard, the beautiful dragon hovering in front of him and awaiting commands. The only thing on his mind was Jaden. He swallowed again, his duel disk gone and his body seething with energy. This dragon was his.

"Stardust…"

Roaring and flying towards the Red Eyes, Stardust grappled onto the wings, ripping them off with ease and throwing the dragon down, stomping on its head with its foot. Neos was up and starting to move when this happened, so it managed to dodge out of the way before it was crushed under the dragons' weights.

The Red Eyes wriggled and squirmed, its shoulder blades pouring with blood as it tried to fly away. Stardust clamped its jaws around Red Eyes' neck, shaking it back and forth with vigor. The Red Eyes roared, blood gushing from its mouth and onto the concrete below. People around the area had fled into their buildings and watched as the two dragons brawled.

Neos was ready for action however and just as Red Eyes was about to give up, Neos gave the finishing blow to the head. Knocking its head into outer space, Neos landed on the ground again, the body of the black dragon disappearing as soon as it had appeared. The chi from the dragon escaped and vanished, leaving nothing in its trace.

Stardust gave another cry, flapping its silvery wings and sending those beautiful silver and blue sparkles all over the city. Slowly, the damage was repaired as the crater vanished and the trees were replanted. The stone pillars that held up both Yusei and Jaden were slowly fading back into the ground, Yusei jumping over to Jaden's pillar to aide him.

His hands grasped at the younger boy's body as he tried to awaken Jaden, who had collapsed during the battle. He was still alive however, as Neos was still there with them.

"Jaden! Jaden!" Yusei shook him hard, holding him. Jaden fumbled back and forth, but did not move otherwise. The pillar sunk into the ground, dropping both boys onto the ground once again. The people around them stared in awe, but Yusei paid no mind to them. The only thing he focused on was Jaden.

He ran a hand through the brown locks of hair as he whispered his name. "Jaden wake up…" a hand upon his shoulder made him turn his head as Neos gazed down at him, pointing up to his own dragon who was crouching low. Stardust gazed at him intensely, bowing its head lower.

"You want me to…" Stardust seemed to smile at him again and nodded, motioning him. Yusei breathed, taking Jaden in his arms. Neos followed close behind him as Yusei stepped upon Stardust's head, the dragon rising when they were on.

"Let's go!"

Spreading its silvery wings, Stardust roared and took flight, those wings beating and beating until they were high in the sky. Neos was in charge of Jaden as Yusei directed Stardust to their little dorm back in the outskirts of the city. The blood had stopped leaking and Jaden was alright, but Yusei couldn't help looking over his shoulder every so often to make sure he was still breathing. Neos assured him more than once with a glance that Jaden was alright, but still Yusei worried.

It was only after they had arrived at the dorms that Neos gave Jaden back to Yusei, who took him gratefully. Stardust gave a little murmur once more and disappeared, the light reeling back into Yusei's chest and the figure returning his card.

Neos gazed at Yusei thoughtfully, crossing his arms and nodding. The boy only blinked in response as the monster vanished, the light from Jaden dying now as well. Turning away from the sight Yusei made his way back to the rooms and set Jaden down softly upon his bed, covering him with sheets and propping his head upon a pillow. Neos' words stuck in his head.

_Take good care of him. _


	7. For You

It took him a while to get up, his energy nearly depleted from the battle. The warmth from the sheets surrounded him as he licked his lips, swallowing and yawning at the same time. His brown eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim light that surrounded him. His ears caught the sound of a startled cry that came from his left.

"Jaden!"

Before he knew it the older boy was on top of him, gazing at him intently. "Are you alright? You were out for nearly half a day! I was worried you wouldn't wake up!"

Jaden turned his head to see Yusei eyeing him like a jeweler eyeing a diamond. He smiled at the older boy, turning red when he saw how worried Yusei had become. Yusei wasn't the type to go about worrying like that, but when it came to Jaden… well one could never know. Jaden was very happy to see him as well, and nodded his head.

"I'm glad… that you're here."

Yusei froze at his words, a possible embarrassing blush erupting from his cheeks. Jaden knew how to pull on his heartstrings real hard, and he knew how to pluck them exactly the way Yusei liked.

"W-Well… I was just… I was worried…" he coughed and cleared his throat, looking down at the ground. Jaden sat up warily, almost falling when he did. Yusei caught him in midfall, balancing him carefully.

"You're still weak… maybe you should rest a little while longer…"

It was then that Jaden locked his eyes with Yusei's, and for some reason neither one of them could look away. Their hearts were beating as one and Jaden couldn't help but let out a little giggle as Yusei's hand brushed up against his neck. It was a feeling that sent shivers down his spine and down to his toes.

* * *

><p>"I… summoned Stardust." Yusei began, clearing his throat more and rubbing the back of his neck. Jaden was up against him, his head nearly on Yusei's chest. He licked his lips, wanting to run his fingers through Jaden's hair and feel how silky it was. His eyes dimmed.<p>

"That's great! Is that how we got home?" Jaden asked, smiling and gazing up at him. Yusei nodded, breathing over Jaden's hair. He swallowed, feeling something pulsing in his heart. Neos' words ran through his mind again.

"So, Stardust rode us home? And then Neos…"

"Yeah. He told me… to take good care of you…" they were both on the couch, holding cups of hot chocolate in their hands. Yusei had told Jaden exactly what had happened that previous day, and it seemed like Jaden was very excited for Yusei. It was his first time Spirit Summoning, and it meant that Yusei felt something for Jaden that he couldn't describe.

"So when you summoned Stardust, you felt…" Jaden began, making movements in the air with his hands. He didn't know how to say it, but he was sure that Yusei knew exactly what he was talking about.

Yusei nodded, bemused and smiling gently. "I felt like I had to protect you… like I had something to fight for. I couldn't just let Heresy go and bring you down like that."

The younger boy smiled back at him, almost laughing as he did so. Yusei couldn't help but get the good feeling from Jaden and soon he found himself laughing as well, setting down his chocolate and placing his hand down upon the couch. Then something unexpected happened.

He could feel it on him, but he couldn't believe it. Yusei took a deep breath, inhaling through his nostrils. Both boys froze, their heads turning towards one another. They both swallowed, silence falling over them both. Jaden gasped a little, gazing at Yusei silently.

The older boy gazed back at him, his heart pounding like it was about to explode. He was sure Jaden could feel it too, but he wasn't sure where this was going. All he knew was that their hands were touching, on top of one another, warmth gathering upon them. Their eyes were locked, their gaze intent, they could almost feel the warmth in the air.

The pulse was there.

The hands were moving away now, the younger boy inching his away slowly. He wasn't sure the older one would like what was going on, but he knew for sure that they had something for one another. He didn't want to tell Yusei anything, but yet…

The older hand grabbed for the younger hand and pulled it back, almost jerking it. Jaden didn't expect this and ended up losing his balance. Falling headfirst into the couch, he didn't know how to catch his balance. His brain was screaming things and contradicting his heart, which was also screaming things.

Luckily, strong arms wrapped around him and pinned him against a well built chest. Before he knew it, Yusei had caught him and held him close, their hands still intertwined. Jaden's eyes were shimmering now, his body nearly shaking with anticipation. He wasn't sure where this was going, but he liked it.

Yusei was the same way, as he saw Jaden against him and resisted the urge to hold him closer. He swallowed, softly up righting the young boy until he was sitting up again. They were once again face to face, their eyes shimmering together and making the stars seem dim.

Their hands were still intertwined, and as Jaden began to pull away again, Yusei could resist his urge no longer. He moved closer to the boy, holding Jaden's head against his shoulder and embracing his slender body. Yusei's eyes dimmed again, his fingers running down Jaden's back.

"I was… worried." He murmured, the wonderful smell of Jaden's hair whisking through his nose and sending shivers down through his nerves. There was something about Jaden that was just so innocent and so pure that made Yusei want to hold him and never let go. It was the one thing that was true in Yusei's heart.

Jaden's eyes were wide and his breaths were coming out in gasps, almost as if something had struck him in the stomach. He didn't know how to respond verbally, but his body knew exactly how to react. He was against somebody who he could have put his life in, someone who understood him and made him realize what a wonderful thing having a bond was. Almost immediately Jaden exchanged the hug, bringing his body closer to Yusei's and burying his head in Yusei's shoulder.

The sweet scent of cologne wafted through his nostrils, making Jaden wish he had something to put on himself. Wonderful feelings spread through their bodies, making them both smile secretly. Their hearts were beating as one, they could feel it. Neither one of them would admit it, but they were enjoying every second of this.

Pulling away finally and staring at him, Jaden spoke softly.

"You were worried about me?"

"You have no idea."

Soft smiles were exchanged, the ticking of the clock seeming so light and happy now that they had finally gotten past the awkward stage. It was so different now; they could now freely exchange hugs. Standing up and gathering his things, Yusei took off his jacket and left his undershirt on only, getting ready for bed himself. It was nighttime, and he was tired of staying up and keeping an eye on Jaden.

Jaden was in his pajamas already, so when it came time to turn it in, he was ready. Yusei pulled his pants down and threw them to the side, fixing his boxers and climbing into bed. The floor tiles squeaked under his weight and as he set his leg down upon the mattress, a voice made him stop in his tracks.

"Yusei!"

He lifted his head and turned in time to see a brown head coming at him, arms around him and a face on his chest. Yusei nearly fell backwards from the stunt, but he held his ground and stared down at his friend.

Jaden's eyes were closed, his head planted firmly against Yusei's chest and his body wanting nothing more than to stay that way forever. The older boy smiled at him, taking a hand and gently rubbing the top of his head. Fingers ran through the locks, tracing it down to his cheek, where the finger stopped and fell to his neckline. Jaden shivered, opening his eyes to meet Yusei's. He murmured.

"Good night."

The moon was shining in through the window, illuminating their shadows and casting its heavenly glow across the room. Yusei smiled, cuddling Jaden closer to him. The awkwardness was gone, and now their feelings were beginning to grow. Like a plant, it needed a little start, and once it began to grow nothing could stop it. It would need much nourishing, but it would flourish if it so tried.

"Good night, Jaden."


	8. A Note To The Readers

Author's note:

Me: Hey guys! Anoka Takarai here. Author of Crimson Love and other stories on . I wanted to give all of you guys a shout out cause I think what really matters here is the fact that people enjoy what I write.

I don't write because I want to impress an audience, really I don't. The reason I write is so that I can get a message across to everyone who reads it. Now, if you are one of the people who is subscribed to a story alert or a favorite story or whatever, then I say to you this:

Thank you so much for thinking so highly of me. I really want to make all of you happy, and I hope that you guys aren't disappointed in the storyline! I want to make people feel things that they're afraid to feel, and with constant feedback coming from you (the fans) I can improve my writing even further, and I have no one else to thank but the fans out there who put up with waiting for more stuff!

Thank you all, really, for every comment ever written on my story, and for taking the time to read all of the nonsense I put up. Without you guys, the world of fanfictions would be dead, deleted, internet scrap. But I sleep well at night knowing that tomorrow I can wake up and say "There are people out there who have something to say to the world, but they just don't know how to do it. I'm here to help them voice their words."

Thank you all for your support! Thank you thank you thank you!

I hope to please you all and thank you again!

-Anoka


	9. Reminders of Home

The very next morning proved to be the most exciting morning for him. The sun rose, and his body told him that the older boy was just beginning to get up as well. He opened his eyes to the newfound daylight, and almost immediately jumped up at the chance to get to see him.

Jaden sat up in his bed, smiling and looking about him, tearing the sheets off of him and setting his feet down upon the floor, gazing at the older boy who was stirring only a little bit. He bit his lip in anticipation.

Gathering some other clothing he had in his drawers, he ran to put on the shower, stripping himself and jumping in, wanting to make himself clean for Yusei. He had never bothered to do this for anyone else, but for Yusei… well he would do just about anything.

Last night had meant so much to him, as their hands intertwined and their bodies embraced. He shivered as the warm water ran over him, reminding him of that strong chest that was placed against his head. He sighed, closing his eyes and letting the memory live in his head for as long as he could. He never knew his heart could beat so fast.

* * *

><p>He heard the little one get up, and as he pulled the sheets back he yawned, cracking his back and smiling at himself. The thoughts from last night drifted in his head, and his fingers trembled; remember the very feel of silk. It was so warm to him, so pleasantly warm. Yusei felt like it was the first time that he could honestly just think to himself and let go of all the burdens he had carried on his shoulders.<p>

Planting his feet upon the cold ground, he stood up, gazing out into the sun that shone through the window. It signaled a new day for them both… a new day that would bring about some changes. They were aware of each other's feelings now, and they were sure that the warmth between them was only going to increase.

Closing his eyes momentarily he heard footsteps coming from the bathroom. Quickly opening his eyes turning around, Yusei spied Jaden in a regular black shirt with a pair of jeans. Jaden had changed just for him. Yusei smiled a bit, his eyes softening when the latter came in and closed the door behind him. Jaden was red, but a smile crossed his face.

"Your turn."

Walking over to him casually, Yusei embraced Jaden gently, holding him against his body. Jaden froze for a second, but then returned the embrace, that smile getting wider on his face. Fingers ran through Jaden's hair as the older boy spoke softly, almost whispering into his ear.

"Good morning."

Letting go of him almost reluctantly, Yusei grabbed his clothes and headed towards the bathroom, closing the door behind him softly. Jaden couldn't help but turn and smile at him when Yusei shut the door, giddily getting ready and adjusting his hair properly. He was just so happy, the feelings inside of him buzzing and twirling around in his body. It was like something inside of him just wanted to scream and proclaim its joy to the world.

It took a few minutes for Yusei to get out of the shower, but when he did he didn't see anybody in Jaden's room. He tilted his head, walking barefoot around the dorm until he found Jaden stirring up some breakfast in the kitchen. A smile spread across Yusei's face as he came closer to the youth, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

Jaden turned around and smiled at him, holding up a spatula. The blue eyes traced Jaden as the boy began to speak, pots and pans littering the kitchen and a speck of spice upon his face.

"I thought we could eat in today! I wanted to take you somewhere special!"

Licking his lips and nodding, Yusei flicked the spice off of Jaden's cheek, making him blush just a little bit. "What did you have in mind?"

Yusei was only in his towel, but he seemed to have no problem approaching Jaden as such. It was Jaden who had the problem with seeing the slim and tight body of Yusei's. It was like he was out of a Calvin Klein magazine or something. It was just a little bit ridiculous. But then again, he had a feeling Yusei didn't act this way around just anyone.

"It's a surprise!" Jaden replied, turning back around and flipping over some eggs he had on the pan. Before he could grab the salt he felt arms wrap around his neck and stop his movements. A nose was planted inside of his neck and a sultry voice spoke to him.

"You're not going to tell me?"

Jaden's cheeks flared; his heart beginning to pound madly. Yusei was comfortable hugging him like that, and yet it was Jaden who seemed to be having the most problems with all of this. They had gotten past the awkward stage yes, but it seemed as though Yusei was having fun with all of this.

Laughing lightly Yusei released him and went back into the bedroom, stopping for a second to speak.

"I'll be out in a minute."

The door was closed and his hands went to work on making more food for Yusei. He was set on his task, the eggs cooking rather nicely and the bacon smelling up the room. It wasn't like he had ever cooked before, but being out on his own for a while showed him a few things or two. Even as a child his parents weren't really around, so he had to fend for himself. Jaden had learned that certain things were not to be taken for granted. Yusei for example.

Yusei was the type of person to hide things, but it seemed as if when he was with Jaden, he could open up into another world that made him want to share things and explore the innards of his heart. He could be comfortable.

_Yusei… what do you think of me?_

* * *

><p>The beast roared, struggling to release itself. The dark aura that surrounded it could not penetrate the cage which contained it. Its wings were almost broken and beaten from the times it tried to escape. It roared again, smashing itself against the cage. In rebuttal, the cage shocked the beast, sending it howling and roaring again.<p>

The purple walls were dripping with slime and ooze, the cavern wet and damp as it was without the needless dripping of the dragon's blood. It wished to be set free, to wreak havoc on the world that so cruelly imprisoned it within this tiny cage. All he wanted was to eat a few continents, that was all! And yet the people seemed to think of this as a bad thing, and insisted that he stop and be imprisoned. How cruel!

He roared again, calling upon the one human who understood him the best. The man appeared slowly from the darkness, holding up two things in his hand. The blond hair swayed back and forth as the servant knelt down humbly to his master, throwing the cards to the dragon's mouth.

Engulfing it whole and roaring in approval, the dragon could feel its energy come back more and more, the crystal ball inside of the man's pocket glowing with more light now.

_When will I be free? _

The dragon demanded, glaring at the man who was his little slave. Heresy had to almost lay down to see straight up into its eyes, but he remained calm and collected even in this situation.

"My lord, you will be set free in just a few days… be patient. Soul energy is hard to find."

_Get it quickly! I wish to be set free from my imprisonment! _

The dragon tilted its head back and roared again, bashing against the cage that only shocked it more. Its life was based on the three cavern walls that surrounded it and the electrical cage that was the only opening to the outside world. Here in this damp cavern he lay, waiting for the day that he could once again regain his strength and rule over the planet.

The man lowered his head, bowing to his master and setting out a card. A dragon appeared before him, tying them together with that silver light. It growled, bowing to Heresy and allowing him to get on before riding off.

"I shall be back master… with more soul energy to suffice your hunger."

In a flash of darkness he was gone, leaving the dragon to his roaring. The beast flicked its tail against the wall, crumbling a good portion of it. It reared its fangs and howled, awaiting his servants return.

* * *

><p>"Can I open my eyes?"<p>

"Not yet!"

"Jaden, c'mon!"

"No! It's a surprise I said!"

Yusei held onto Jaden for support, not knowing exactly where he was going. He could feel the sun on him, as they were outside and walking towards the surprise that Jaden had in mind. He took little baby steps as not to trip, but Jaden held his arm the entire way, making him feel more comfortable about everything.

They had been walking for a few minutes now, and only when Jaden stopped in his tracks did Yusei dare to ask again. "Can I open them now?"

"Yeah."

Opening his eyes and blinking twice, Yusei gasped at what he saw before him. Jaden smiled, laughing. He had found this place overnight, their little hugging session warming his heart and wanting to do something special for Yusei. It wasn't like they were going out or anything, but he had a feeling that they were getting somewhere close to the middle.

"Surprise."

Yusei only barely heard Jaden's voice as he approached the building, his eyes wide in awe. He swallowed dryly, his eyes trembling. "This is…"

"The future Ener-D building… it's the prototype building for now." Jaden's head rose to the silver building that stood before them, towering over much of the city. Birds perched outside of the building, pecking at the glass windows and flying above. It was a good day to give him a surprise.

"This is where it all started…" Yusei murmured, taking a look inside. "They've even got those… energy modules…" he was nearly speechless, but Jaden walked up behind him with confidence and strength. "I wanted to give you a little taste of your home, since you're so far away from it right now…"

His voice trailed off, but he knew he had just made Yusei's day. The older boy turned around, a grateful and yet sad smile upon his tan face. "Thank you… Jaden… you don't know… what this means to me."

With a sudden movement, Jaden could feel his hand being tugged towards the door, his friend dragging him nearer to him and nearly dragging him inwards. He blinked a few times, his heart warming and a sudden light going through him.

He had made Yusei's heart light.

* * *

><p>"Look at all this stuff! The prototype for the Duel Runners… the engine gears… everything we ever did is right here in front of us!" Jaden was too busy looking at another part to really be paying attention, but he could hear the enthusiasm in Yusei's voice.<p>

The building was full of people, and the hustle made Yusei even more excited. It was rare to see him like this, but Jaden was happy just to be there with him. They had made their way inside and towards the more interesting part of the building, where they kept the prototypes for the future. This was knowledge that New Domino had lost, and Domino City still had. It was valuable for Yusei to know where his roots stemmed from.

Before long they both got hungry and decided to stop for lunch, Yusei offering to buy Jaden something since he had treated him so nicely. They stepped outside, Jaden arguing with Yusei over the food issue.

"But I don't mind paying Yusei!" he retorted, gazing at his friend. Yusei shook his head, grabbing Jaden's hand and tugging him towards a noodle cart. "It'll be my treat. I owe you for breakfast anyways."

Jaden smiled warily but complied with Yusei's demands. Stepping beside him, he noticed that Yusei hadn't let go of his hand, and that they were beginning to get strange looks from passerby's. Jaden's cheeks flushed again, a sweat forming on his brow. He wasn't exactly comfortable with putting their unknown status out to the world, especially since he didn't know where he stood with the whole relationship thing.

"Yusei…" he began, trying to tug away from the older boy. "We… we're attracting attention…"

The taller boy looked around, seeing a few stares from people. He gazed at them for a few seconds before taking Jaden in for a strong embrace. Jaden cried out in surprise when he did this, but Yusei would not be swayed. His face was stern as ever, and even a little protective as the people continued to stare.

"Let them see." He murmured, bringing Jaden closer to him. The younger boy's eyes dimmed with happiness as he snuggled into Yusei's grip, embracing him back. The man at the noodle cart had his eyebrows raised at the sudden movement, but made no attempt to break them up. Love was love after all.

After a few seconds the people passed, getting bored of the scene. Yusei finally broke off, Jaden turning red with both excitement and embarrassment. He felt so lucky, so lucky to have Yusei in his life. If it wasn't love that he felt towards Yusei, then he wasn't even sure what love was. He would do anything for him, anything. He wondered if Yusei felt the same way.

"I'd like…"

His words were drowned out by the sounds of a scream, followed by another scream, which then in turn followed another scream. Jaden gazed up into the sky, his eyes turning with rage. "That sounds familiar."

"Yeah, it looks like our friend is back."

Yusei's eyes began to light up with anticipation as the sky darkened, the clouds whisking into the sun and blocking it. The wind picked up as well, and a familiar face greeted them. Jaden growled, clenching his fist.

"Heresy!"

The man chuckled, nodding at both boys. "Good afternoon! How goes the little adventurous two?"

"What do you want Heresy?" Yusei demanded, getting straight to the point. Heresy seemed to sigh, his dragon setting very gently upon the ground and letting him off. "Oh poo. You're no fun. I was planning on having a little bit more fun time with you two!"

"Where is the dragon?" Yusei asked, glaring at him. "We know you have a beast you're going to resurrect, so where is it?"

"He is everywhere, yet nowhere. Do you understand that?" Jaden blinked, scratching his head. "Run that by me again?"

Heresy giggled, putting a hand into his pocket and fetching out a card. "Do you see this?" he asked the boys, holding it up for them. Yusei peered at it, growling.

"What is that?"

The card was nothing but blank, much like previous ones. The only thing about this card was that it was slightly glowing. Jaden sighed, shaking his head.

"Don't tell me you're gonna start trapping people in cards too!"

"Are you mad? why would I do that? Only a fool would do that!" Heresy spat, clearly infuriated by the comment. Yusei pursed his lips.

"Then why do you have a blank card?"

"This is a gateway between the times."

"A gateway?"

"Yes. With spiritual energy comes a great deal of power, and with power one can do many things with that!"

"Like opening gates to other universes." Finished Jaden, who was exasperated at this point. There was just simply too much terminology for him to remember.

The dragon before them began to holler now, awaiting its chance at some action. Yusei backed up into Jaden, holding out an arm to protect him. Jaden gasped slightly, staring at Yusei. The older boy's eyes were set upon the dragon, his body ready at any point to summon his own sparkling dragon.

With a flick the card was tossed into the air, a blinding light seething from it and threatening to rip a hole into the space it occupied. It broke into a thousand shards, sounds of glass falling upon pavement ringing through the air. Out of the hole in the space came a claw, followed by a plated arm, which then was followed by another dragon of some sorts, although this dragon was familiar to Yusei.

His eyes widened as his body froze, shock overcoming his face. "It's…"

A large red and black dragon appeared before them, growling and hissing terribly and making the wind shake. The horns on its head were sharp with anger, and its body was writhing with some unknown pain.

"Yes, very good Yusei. It's the dragon your friend holds so dear to his heart. Jack is it not?" asked Heresy, chuckling at his comment. "Red Dragon Archfiend… lovely dragon isn't he?"

Archfiend raised its head and blasted an air wave, sending a few buildings to crumble before them. Yusei tackled Jaden to the ground, avoiding a falling tree. The two boys crumpled in a heap, coughing from the dust of the sand.

The man laughed at them, jumping back onto his immense dragon and leaving them as is, his hand waving to them in the distance. "See you in the finale boys!"

Pushing himself up and growling, Jaden began to feel the tingle of energy ride through him, Neos making itself present. Yusei narrowed his eyes, the tingle running down his body as well and a growl escaping his lips.

They stood up together, side by side, and let out a cry that echoed towards the heavens above. They were one, they protected each other, and they were going to save the world.

"Let's go!"


	10. The Light

The blood was now pouring down from his arms; the scars open and making him ache with pain. Half of his left eye was closed, his breathing heavy and gasping. There was nothing he could do, but then again he was the one protecting the other one.

"Yusei! Yusei please!"

He shook his head, knowing very well that the younger one could not endure the power of this dragon alone. He had taken full responsibility for the battle. His body threatened to collapse, his legs almost giving out on him twice. He gasped for air, but the more he gasped the more blood he seemed to spit.

Stardust was crying to him, its lustrous wings battered and almost torn. Archfiend seemed to have the upper hand in this battle. It clawed at Stardust, dragging it down to the ground more than once. Its cries were only barely heard over Yusei's own cries of anguish. His heart was pounding, screaming at him and shouting that it would explode.

The dragons fought hard, and Archfiend seemed to always have the upper hand. Yusei felt whatever damage Stardust felt, and this knowledge only made him accept his destiny more. He never realized it before, but the Crimson Dragon had sent him here for a reason.

In a final cough of blood, he finally collapsed to the cold ground, young hands reaching for him as he fell silently, his tattered body flopping. His eyes closed softly, a soft melody making itself present in his head. Jaden's voice was all he could hear, it was all he wanted to hear. He knew it was the last thing he wanted.

* * *

><p>In a blaze of cold fire he awoke, his body ignited in some sort of cold flame that warmed him and yet made him shiver. It was strange to feel this way, but this was what was happening. His azure eyes gazed around the darkness, his entire being filled with a light that emanated from within his very heart. Where was he?<p>

_Yusei Fudo. _

He was being called.

"Who's there?"

The darkness split almost too gently as a red dragon appeared before him, its eyes pupil less and waves of light shaking its very being. It seemed to smile at him.

"Crimson Dragon?"

The dragon nodded at him, nudging him slightly with its nostrils. It was then that he realized he was naked, the light seeping from his pores and the symbols of the dragon burning brightly upon his skin.

_Yusei… do you know where you are?_

"If I had any idea… I would think I'm dead right now."

_You are not dead. _

"Then where am I?"

The dragon paused, seeming to think of a logical answer. Humans could only grasp certain concepts, and even when explained about alternate ones, they seemed to only retain little information.

_You are in the very center of something. In the very something that has yet to sprout fully. It is growing Yusei. _

"What's growing?"

The man's questions made the dragon roar with approval. He was the son of a great and powerful man after all.

_The very thing that will tear you apart from the one who has planted the seed of warmth inside of you. _

"What do you mean?" Yusei gazed down at the darkness, swallowing. "We're supposed to stop Heresy… right? Well, aren't we supposed to do that? Together?"

_Yes… but once you do that… do you realize what will happen? _

"I… Well…" Yusei silenced, letting his voice trial off almost in anguish. He had never thought about going back home, not after everything that had happened between him and Jaden. They had been through so much now, even if it was only a few days. But then again, sometimes love can be found in only a few days, or perhaps even hours. Love knew no bounds, and when struck by Cupid's arrow, one could do nothing but obey the commands of the heart. Yusei knew this all too well.

_It is the one thing that will tear you apart. It is the seed that Jaden has planted within you that will be your downfall. _

"You can't separate us! We're a team! We… we…" Yusei swallowed again, thinking hard about the dragon's words. If they were to proclaim their…

"You're wrong! Nothing can separate us! It's… it's…." his heart burned with anger. It was the first time he truly felt happy, the first time he could honestly smile and not fear what the outcome might be. It was the first time he ever loved.

_Once Heresy is defeated… do you not wish to return home? _

"I want to go back home… but… if it means leaving Jaden behind…"

_There is nothing you can do Yusei. You were never meant for this world. You were never meant to 'belong' here. _

"But… But I belong here! I know I do!" he shouted, his words shaking and his eyes set. His heart was burning more, an unknown force driving it towards the truth that was soon becoming light.

"Maybe I don't belong here… but I know one thing is for sure!" he continued, licking his lips. "I belong with Jaden! He belongs with me! And I belong with him!"

The dragon snarled, but seemed to smile as well. The power of love was something that the dragon knew all too well. It was a mystical force, much like itself.

_You will return home… no matter what you do. There is nothing you can do to stop it. Heresy must be found, before the dragon resurrects and wreaks havoc upon the world again. _

Yusei growled, clenching his fists now. His body shivered with anger, but his voice was calm. He knew that they would be separated; it was the last thing he wanted.

"I'll stay with Jaden… for as long as I can… I'll protect him… for as long as I am able! I will not take these days in vain! I will treasure every moment with him! I will… I will stand by his side!"

It was then that the darkness produced an unknown wind; forcing Yusei onto his bottom and making him cover his eyes. The dragon rose, roaring at him.

_The time shall come when you two must separate, but if you prolong your stay here, he will hurt much more than you will. Are you willing to leave him behind to return to where you once came? _

Yusei shook his head, screaming over the howling wind that whipped his hair about and made him freeze over in his tracks.

"I will save his world… I will save our world… and I will stay with him for as long as I am able! Even if it tears me apart… even if it kills me… I will voice my reason for living! I will voice my reason for existence!"

At his words the dragon reared back down, calming itself and whisking its breath over him lightly. He bowed to him slightly, regally, and shut its eyes, wrapping its body around the tiny Yusei.

The man cried out in alarm as the dragon took him in its grasp, but he felt safe within this grasp as well. It spoke to him again.

_Then you, Yusei… will receive a gift that is more precious than time itself._ It smiled at him, igniting the darkness with the light that only Gods knew of. Yusei covered his eyes, afraid and excited about the next happening.

_With the power invested in me by the Gods… I will set the seed to grow, to flourish, and to wrap around those who feed it. Your actions shall not be in vain. _

"Crimson Dragon!" Yusei cried, the howling wind still whipping him back and forth. "Did you predict this was going to happen?"

The dragon merely laughed at his statement, throwing its head up as Yusei was engulfed in that warm light that reminded him of the one he loved the most.

_Destiny is only a part of fate… and fate is only a part of destiny. _


	11. Dewdrops and Steam

He was shaking him hard, tears making his way into his eyes. He had been screaming a lot too, his throat was almost dry and cracked, but he kept going. He wouldn't give up, no, Yusei meant too much to him.

The man lay there unconscious, and only barely breathing. His blood stained Jaden's hands, the voice of the dragon dying away in his mind. Slowly, the eyes were opened, those blue orbs focusing and meeting the brown ones that held nothing but happy tears.

"Yusei… Yusei you're alive!"

The older boy sat up warily, one eye closing as the pain in his side seared at him, threatening to make him cry out. Jaden helped him upon his feet, carrying the majority of Yusei's weight upon his shoulders. He was happy beyond words, happy beyond all belief. Yusei was alive, that was all that mattered.

Neos and Stardust hadn't stopped fighting, their roars and cries echoing through the air as Archfiend held them back. The dust kicked up and whipped at their faces, their scars stinging and getting battered with the particles that flew at them. Jaden gazed at Yusei, who was panting heavily. The younger boy held anger in his eyes, as the black and red dragon hadn't let up its attack. He wanted to protect Yusei as much as possible, even if it took his life from him.

"Jaden…"

Yusei's voiced pierced Jaden's ear, making his heart beat with triumphant joy. "Yes?" he asked, tilting his head and leading Yusei through the rubble that was soon to be the city. Their steps were together, their hearts were together, and everything about them was connected through some unseen force that drove them towards one another. It was uncontrollable.

"I… have to tell you something when we get back…"

His heart had been pounding, but now it felt like it was going to rip his chest apart while exploding at the same time. Jaden swallowed hard, not knowing exactly how to respond. What did Yusei want to tell him? Would they have their time together? Was this going to be their day? How was it going to play out?

Yusei turned to him with a bleeding lip, a smile cracking on his face. Jaden could feel his cheeks fluster, his heart fluttering and his eyes shaking with anticipation. "But first, we have to kill this dragon, don't we?"

* * *

><p>The door was shut behind them, Yusei flopping down upon his bed and undressing himself. Jaden took a seat on his bed and took his clothing off as well, throwing it into the laundry basket in the corner of the room. Both boys were now in their undershirts and boxers, the stench of sweat and blood heavy in the air. Carrying the basket outside, Jaden spoke back to Yusei who was treating one of his wounds.<p>

"I'm going to put this in the wash, I'll be right back."

The older boy nodded at him, extending his hand in exercise. Jaden paused for a second, letting his thoughts wander. Yusei was extremely violent in the day's battle, even making sure Stardust had blown Archfiend into oblivion twice before calling it back to his body. Archfiend was heavily wounded and blown to bits when Yusei was through with it, making Jaden wonder where all that pain and anger came from. Did something happen in the one minute that Yusei was out cold?

Putting down the basket and flicking the machine on, Jaden piled in the clothes and then closed the lid, turning it to full. Heading back upstairs he noticed Yusei was staring out the window, gazing at the sky above. The dark had overcome them, twinkling stars illuminating the sky like fireflies in a blue haze.

Quietly, Jaden walked up behind Yusei and spoke gently, wanting to know what it was that drew them together.

"Is something wrong Yusei?"

The older boy turned to him, his eyes almost glazed. Jaden gasped a bit, stepping back. "Yusei? Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Yusei's eyes saddened as he pulled Jaden close, bumping his forehead with Jaden's. Their eyes locked as a sad feeling passed between them. Jaden was clearly confused, as Yusei had never acted this way around him before.

"Y-Yusei?"

Yusei blew onto him softly, the hair in Jaden's eye swaying back and forth almost lovingly. The stars couldn't compare to the twinkle that was shining in Yusei's eye, and it almost frightened Jaden to no end.

Pushing him back, Jaden glared at him slightly, wary and uncertain. "Yusei, what's going on? Why're you acting this way?"

The tan arms dropped their embrace as Yusei gazed at him silently, sadness seeping into both his heart and eyes. Jaden waited for an answer that almost never came, and all the while feeling that Yusei was hiding something from him.

"Jaden I…" he paused, biting his lip. Blood seeped from the pressure, making Jaden perk but keeping his feet steady. He couldn't show weakness, not now.

"What if… the only thing that mattered to you… got taken away from you? You could never get it back, no matter how hard you tried?"

"What do you mean? Did you lose something?"

"I'm about to."

Jaden took a step forward, clenching his fists. "Can't you talk straight forward? I don't understand what you're saying!" he growled under his breath, his pulse raging in his ears. "Yusei, you've been hiding something from me, now tell me what it is!"

"I can't tell you what it is because then I'll lose you!"

The words hung in the air as a frozen and surprised silence fell over them both. Yusei covered his mouth with his right hand, red erupting from his cheeks. He quickly shook his head, trying his words again.

"I mean… we'll… be… what I mean is…" not finding the right words Yusei quieted, clenching his teeth. His eyes lowered to the ground, his heart nearly bursting. There were some things that only motions could say.

Jaden's eyes softened, a sadness coming over his face. "You… you… mean me… don't you? You mean you'd lose me?"

Yusei didn't respond, but merely brushed past him and slipped into his bed, covering himself with sheets. He didn't want to discuss this further. It pained him too much to know that when they did end up finding the dragon, they would have to go their separate ways, never to see each other again. Jaden watched as Yusei climbed into his bed and turned away, anger in his eyes and burning at him. How could Yusei treat him like this after all they had been through? How could he have been so heartless?

"Well fine!" Jaden shouted, throwing himself towards the door. "I don't need your fake answers! I don't need to know what the hell it is you're gonna lose cause I don't give a shit!" slamming the bathroom door behind him Jaden fell into himself, part of him wanting to cry and the other part wanting nothing more than to beg Yusei to tell him what was going on.

Slipping out of his clothing and turning the shower on, Jaden stepped in and waited until the warmth of the water washed over him to slip to his knees and bury his head in the blue tiles that surrounded him. The steam from the water filled the bathroom, clinging onto the glass doors and windows. Silently, Jaden whimpered.

* * *

><p>He hadn't thought of this before, but it occurred to him that this was the only way they were going to be on mutual terms. There had to be some even ground between them, even if it wasn't meant to be after all.<p>

He shook with excitement, and only when his bare foot stepped on the tiles did he shiver fully, almost jolting. He was ready for this. The steam shrouded him, covering him from the eyes that were cast downwards and unmoving. His body moved on its own, coming closer and closer. His heart led him on.

* * *

><p>Hands held onto his shoulders as he froze, the water dripping from the hands and onto his back. Jaden licked his lips, turning his head and standing up as the hands released him, those beautiful eyes coming into his view.<p>

"Yusei?"

Yusei smiled at him sadly, embracing him, their naked bodies touching one another gently. "I'm sorry…. I didn't tell you before."

For some strange reason Jaden was compelled to thrust Yusei into the wall, but he withheld himself and submitted to Yusei's desires.

"It's okay… I understand. You didn't… know how to say what was on your mind… and to tell you the truth, I kind of don't understand it myself."

Yusei nodded, his hands drifting down lower and lower. "I still can't say what I mean… but if you'll allow me… I'll show you exactly what I want."

Jaden smiled up at him, his heart beating with content and happiness. "I'll let you do whatever you want Yusei. Just promise me one thing."

"Yes?" the older boy asked with a smile.

"We'll be together, even if we aren't."

A pause followed a fondling of Jaden's butt that made him cry out in surprise. Yusei smirked, pressing Jaden closer to him. His lips sprouted words that touched Jaden's ear.

"Always."

His hands groped at the butt, his lips bending down to reach Jaden's. The younger boy lifted himself up on his toes and they touched, their moist skin pressing together with a passion and warmth that made Yusei want to cram into him more and more.

Jaden responded the best he could, his tongue only barely following Yusei's frantic one as their saliva mixed in with the water to create a beautiful taste of both mint and rain. The steam in the room increased as Yusei began to get more energetic, Jaden following his every move.

Fingers rubbed against skin, tongues licked almost too gently and shivers were shared down spines. Spinning Jaden around and pressing him against the wall, Yusei held onto him tightly, Jaden holding himself steady against the tiles.

"Yusei… not too harsh, okay?"

The older boy did not answer but gently pushed himself in, Jaden jolting with anticipation. His body jumped upwards, the cold tiles getting warm beneath his sweat. A hand grabbed at his rod as the thrusting began, Jaden's cheek pressed firmly against the wall. Yusei's arms tightened around Jaden's body more, the slender boy nearly breaking beneath his grip. Jaden would not be swayed however, as he was holding his own. His feet were planted upon the ground, his breaths in motion with Yusei's. They were in love.

Yusei thrust in more, his motions getting more and more rapid. It felt so good to him; the tightness that Jaden provided to him was all he ever wanted. Soon the rapid tides were driving deeper and deeper, threatening to rip Jaden apart like a toothpick. The breathing became harsh and soon there was no breathing at all, and only the sounds of sucking sweetness filled the air.

"Jaden… you're so tight…"

"Yusei… you're… it's so big…" Jaden smiled happily, his face flustered and his body drenched from head to toe. The softness that Jaden had and the power Yusei had were exactly what the other needed; someone to offer something the significant other did not possess. It was like they were meant to be.

With a final thrust Yusei exploded inside of him, Jaden screaming out in joy as he felt the sticky love fill his core. With a breath of relief, Yusei fell upon the tiles, exhausted and dried out. No sooner did he hit the tiles that Jaden was on top of him now, forcibly pushing Yusei's legs open so Jaden could have his turn. Sure Yusei had fondled him hard, but he wanted the tightness just as much as Yusei did.

"I can't let you have all the fun, now can I?" the younger boy sneered, licking at Yusei's nipples. The older boy didn't reply, only moaning as Jaden entered him and wrapped his arms around the well built boy. They were on top of one another, the steam in the room making it almost impossible to breathe. The water cleansed them of the stickiness, but it did not stop the feeling of it running across their soaked skin. This was the best thing for them both.

Jaden thrust in hard, harder than even Yusei had. The older boy was surprised that he had this much energy in him, but he was glad that Jaden was having his time. This was going to be the first and last time they were ever to have this time, so it was only right.

"You're tight! Excellent!" Jaden cried, locking his lips with Yusei's. Sooner than later the tight enveloped him and turned his world inside out as he spewed his seeds into the older boy, a feeling of love and final resting settling in his heart.

They panted hard, their bodies too exhausted to move. Jaden's head was planted on Yusei's chest, the heart beating loud in the younger boy's ears. Crawling upwards so they were head to head, Jaden licked the side of Yusei's cheek as his eyes closed, a smile upon his face. Yusei turned on his side, shutting the faucet off with his foot and closing his eyes as well.

The younger boy was dragged closer as Yusei struggled to get up and carry them both to bed. The sheets were wrapped around them both, the hands leading the younger boy down softly. Crickets filled the air with their chirping and in the moonlight that shined upon them a pair of blue eyes gazed at the brown hair that lay next to him.

His strong arms pushed Jaden closer to him, their bodies warming each other again. Jaden buried his head in Yusei's shoulder unconsciously, that same smile staying put as he finally fell asleep. Fingers grazed Jaden's ears as the azure eyes softly dimmed, inaudible words sprouting from Yusei's lips.

"I love you."


	12. Run

From the sprinkles of light that filtered down upon them, his eyes opened to a sight that made him want to laugh and cry at the same time. Before him lay a pair of beautiful eyes that were closed, gentle breathing coming from the lips that had touched him only hours before. Soft brown hair greeted the morning light with radiance, and nothing could have been more beautiful in his eyes.

They had eloped yes, and it was the most wonderful experience of his life. He had never found someone to love, someone to call his own, someone to share his hopes and dreams with. This boy, this young naïve boy was the one that he could call his 'love', and would forever stay by his side, whether time and space separated them or not.

To know someone is to remember them forever, even if everything in the universe tears the both of them apart. As fate would have it, the Crimson Dragon had bought them together for more than just defeating Heresy. They were meant to love, to find the one person they would treasure forever and ever, even if they were only to know each other for a short time.

Licking his lips and opening his eyes slowly, Jaden blinked, gazing at the azure eyes that bore into him with such intensity that he could only remain silent. Yusei pursed his lips, drawing Jaden closer to him and inhaling his scent. He would imprint this scent into his memory.

"You smell wonderful."

Jaden smiled shyly, almost afraid to admit that Yusei too smelled just as good. "You smell really nice too."

The two of them snuggled closer, their bodies warming each other up. Jaden shivered, holding onto the strong body as much as he could. Yusei sighed, speaking to him softly.

"Jaden… I won't let this thing get to us."

"What?"

"I won't… I won't let our last moments together… be for not… I'll find a way to contact you, even if it is from the future."

The younger boy's eyes glazed over and quickly he buried his head in Yusei's chest. "Don't… don't talk like that…"

The boy didn't know what to do with the information presented to him last night, and his reaction was one that did not chose to accept the inevitable. Yusei had to return to his time, and so did Jaden. They had to move on, even if it meant leaving each other behind. It was a sacrifice only lovers could withhold, and for that, they were made unhappy.

"Let's… eat… I'm hungry." With a push and a yawn, Jaden sat up, rubbing his head and eyes. Yusei gazed at him affectionately, and it was then that a little spurt of horniness overcame him.

Jaden cried out as he felt something slide over his rod, making it erect almost immediately. Turning to his companion, he realized Yusei had a sly smile on his face, a gleam in his eye.

"I'm hungry too."

* * *

><p>The dragon roared again, its body already beginning to heat up with the energy that was within it. It wriggled back and forth, awaiting the freedom.<p>

"Master!" a voice cried, holding up a lighted orb. "The energy has been obtained!" the beast cocked its' head back, cracking the rocks and causing them to fall. It was only a few days later, but they were sure that now it was time. The time was drawing near to release the beast within the captive cave and let the dragon roam free over the city. That creature would seek revenge over those who chose to imprison it in this hellish hole. The beast would have its' revenge.

The beast roared again, smashing through the rocks now and beginning to grow with intense energy. The fangs were longer, the body became wider, and everything was expanding at a frightening rate, although to one onlooker it was the best thing in the world.

"Yes… Master… you are beautiful…"

The darkness began to radiate now, filling the cavern as a horrid laugh filled the air. The darkness was consuming everything it came in contact with, engulfing it and letting out screams of terror of lost souls who had gotten sucked into the realm of shadows.

The beast was free.

* * *

><p>"Yusei, you can't keep doing that." He stated, turning the shower off and drying himself. The older boy glanced over his shoulder and snorted in reply, not bothering to dry off his hair. The steam from the shower covered them both, and the water cleaned them of all the sweat that had accumulated over the second time they eloped.<p>

"I just… wanted to spend as much time with you as I could Jaden." Yusei finally replied, gazing at Jaden with sullen eyes. _As soon as we find the dragon_…

"I know Yusei… and I… feel the same way…" the two of them locked eyes momentarily before turning away and grinning to themselves. Towels were thrown into the corner of the room and their bodies began to glisten with clean.

"Hey, do you want to go to the park for a little while? I mean… it's a really nice day out and we could spend some time under a tree or something."

"That sounds a little mushy don't you think?"

"It was just an idea Yusei…" the older boy wrapped his arms around his love, kissing him lightly on the head. "I know. I love it."

Jaden blushed, snuggling into his arms and happily giggling. "This is gonna be fun! We can eat ice cream and go cloud gazing!"

"You're so weird."

"Hey!"

* * *

><p>His eyes were wandering around the sky, trying to make out the figures. His fingers grazed the hand of the one he loved most, and all in all he had no regrets. The grass seemed so soft underneath him, and the shadow of the tree covered them both. There were little flowers here and there, their petals floating gently away into the breeze. The scent of their petals drifted into their noses, giving them reason to sigh contentedly.<p>

"Look, a rabbit!"

The eyes looked up and indeed, a little rabbit was hopping towards its destination in the distance. Yusei smiled gently, grasping Jaden's hand. They were head to head, Jaden facing the opposite direction as he was but still seeing the same thing.

"Yeah, I see it."

The younger boy turned to Yusei, who was to his left. Yusei turned to Jaden, who was on his right. Their eyes met.

"Jaden…"

"Yusei?"

The older boy gazed at him rather sadly, kissing him tenderly and softly. Jaden was surprised, but did not back down from the notion.

"Yusei… Yusei what's wrong?"

The eyes that were so normally confident were so afraid now, so deep and lost in thought Jaden had the idea he would never get Yusei back. Jaden swallowed hard, staring at him.

"Yusei… we're not… we're not going to be separated, no matter what."

Determined to keep his word alive, Jaden sat up and dug around in his pocket, looking for anything, anything to make this moment last longer than it was. Yusei sat up with him, putting his elbow on his knee. Yusei had nothing to offer in return but a card or something, but he had a feeling that wouldn't be enough.

Turning to his partner again, Jaden offered a hand to Yusei, taking Yusei's hand in his. The older boy looked at him questionably, taking the strange object.

"What is it?"

Jaden smiled shyly, speaking almost in whispers. "It's for you. I got it while we were out the other day."

Opening his palm, Yusei found a black string necklace, with a dragon's eye molded at the end of it. The eye shone with a brilliant blue color, making him gasp in awe.

"It's beautiful…"

Sadness overcame Yusei as he realized he had nothing to offer in return. He would have nothing to give to Jaden to remind him of their time together, and in a way it was almost heartbreaking.

_Pocket. _

Yusei's ears perked for a second, listening to a strange voice. It spoke almost like something out of the whispers of the wind, not really speaking but telling you a story all the same. The whisper came again, telling him.

_Pocket. _

Digging his fingers into his pocket he found another necklace had placed itself in there, waiting for him to find it. _Where did this come from?_

Jaden's eye caught the trinket and he held out his hand, gazing at Yusei. "Is that for me?" Yusei pursed his lips, nodding his head. "Yeah… I uh… I got it for you too…"

From a distance he could hear a dragon roar, its voice echoing into the distance and fading away into time. For some reason, Crimson knew. He knew they were meant to be, even if time did not let them fulfill their dream, they were here.

Jaden gazed at the red dragon eye, the ruby making him laugh with happiness. "Yusei thank you!" tackling him over in glee Yusei fell upon the grass, embracing Jaden hard. The two of them snuggled closer, wanting nothing more than to melt into one another and be one complete being.

"Yusei?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise… promise me?"

"Promise you what?"

Laying his head down upon Yusei's shoulder, Jaden could feel his eyes tingling and his body stiffening. Yusei froze, gazing at him worriedly.

"Jaden?"

The younger boy's voice broke now, his water making the grass wet with love and such deep affection that the grass almost wept for pity's sake.

Hugging Yusei more, he buried his head, unable to take the stress.

"Promise me… you'll never forget me… promise… you have to promise…"

Feeling the tingling rise into his eyes as well, Yusei shook his head, sitting Jaden up with him and holding the younger boy in his arms.

"I'll be right beside you… for as long as I exist in this place."

The cries were hard, and the heart was mending, a comforting sentence made pure in the soul of Jaden Yuki. He would forever remember the man known as Yusei Fudo.

For that man stole his heart.


	13. Leviathan

The two lay there for a few more minutes, wanting the time to never end as they felt each other's heartbeats through their hands. Time passed, and as their eyes watched the sky, clouds began to appear in the blue sea. A pair of tan lips pursed as an all too familiar cry was heard through the air, the head turning towards his partner.

The dragon was alive and well.

* * *

><p>The wings beat hard and fast, the body moving through the sky like a torpedo set upon a destination. The beast roared, sending such loud sound waves through the air that all begins felt their hearts skip a beat. The ferocity was too much to handle for some, as birds clouded the skies with their wings of fright. A few larger mammals decided to run, their long legs carrying them away from the scary sound and large shadow.<p>

The darkness was almost upon them now, the skies clouding with evil and grey. The beast had come as suddenly as a summer rain, unpredictable and intense in nature. The monster roared and reared the head once more, the cries from humans below making the heart of the beast beat with glorious joy. The humans locked this beast up, the humans were to blame! Such tasteless and useless creatures they were!

A man stood upon the dragon's head, his eyes overlooking the rest of the world. As the beast flew into the center of the now doomed city, the man made his announcement speech. He was going to rule the world.

"Citizens of Domino City!" he began, his voice booming over the screams and shouts of people nearby. The skies began to fill with thunderclouds now, booming roars emanating from the cores and threatening to pick apart the Earth. The man smiled almost half heartedly. He knew they were in for a surprise.

The dragon loomed over the city menacingly, the body of the beast too large to comprehend to human eyes. There was no fixation point; there was no sense in trying to make out the entire being. There was too much mass, too much energy and power that stemmed from the beast that made the monster seem almost unstoppable.

Almost.

"Citizens of Domino City, I introduce you to your new leader!" the man cried, raising his arms towards the heavens above. His golden locks waved in the strong wind as the current carried his voice towards the citizens below. They trembled at his feet.

"From this moment on, we shall worship the beast that is true to this world! That has promised us a new life and a new destiny! We shall create a world without Duel Monsters! We shall exterminate the very object that has caused so much destruction and mayhem to poison this planet! Together, we will worship this new beast, the Leviathan!"

The dragon under his feet roared loudly for emphasis, the beast speaking telepathically to the people who were now upon their knees. Their frightened eyes gazed upon the dragon and a few of them broke down in tears, knowing that their fate was sealed. A few of them stood up against the dragon in protest, screaming back at Heresy as if he were a madman. Of course, the Leviathan merely smirked at these fools, picking them one by one off the ground and ingesting them whole. They had learned their lesson.

"Worship the Leviathan! Worship your new God! Destroy all the Duel monsters in the world! Let there be a light that shines more radiant than that given to us by Maxamillion Pegasus!"

"I don't think so!"

A loud and strong voice caused Heresy to turn his head towards the sound, a pair of sapphire eyes greeting him almost too kindly.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to show up to the festival."

Yusei pursed his lips, his Stardust roaring in approval of Yusei's statement. The older boy growled at Heresy, narrowing his eyes. Stardust carried a few beings upon his back, one of them being his master and the others friends. A young boy along with a hero clad in silver stood beside the studded youth, coming up to fight against the evil that threatened to plague the Earth.

They were so small in comparison to Leviathan, Stardust having to fly upwards almost towards the dragon's mouth to be able to even see the man who stood upon the beast's head. Jaden took a step back, gazing at Yusei through the corner of his eye.

"Yusei…"

The older boy gazed back at him, uncertainty in his eyes and a silent frown upon his face. The look in Jaden's eye made Yusei want to do nothing more than just hold him and tell him everything was going to be alright, but dreams always came to an end.

Leviathan growled at them, roaring in their faces.

"Fools!"

Stardust struggled against the monster's voice, the power too much for the poor dragon to handle. He clamped his wings around his body, holding his steady as much as he could. Yusei had his arms crossed over his head, trying to mimic and control Stardust's moves.

_Yusei, he's too strong! _

_Stardust… what do we do? I don't… I don't want to have to say… _

Shaking his head and moving forwards, Yusei broke the force. He stood with his arms at his side, Jaden glaring at Heresy.

"Heresy!" Jaden cried, making his voice heard over the sound of Leviathan's roars. "You came into this world thinking you were going to change it! There are people out there who have yet to be born, yet to live! And you want to destroy all of that? We won't let that happen! We'll stop you here and now before you can even get to Yugi's time!"

The string that attached Jaden to Neos glowed brighter now, his hatred and anger burning through his soul. Yusei bit his lip, not wanting to put Jaden in harm's way. This was the only way to defeat Heresy, using the Chi that they were blessed with. They had a bond with their Duel Monsters that nobody else they, they were the chosen ones; they were the ones who had to save this world.

_But if saving this world means leaving Jaden forever… then I don't think… _

The dragon roared again, Stardust nearly collapsing at the very might of the power. The skies were dark now, thunder raining down from the heavens above. Jaden grit his teeth, jumping from Stardust's back and into the sky, Neos following close behind him.

"Neos!"

The monster roared heavily, ramming Leviathan with all of his power. The orange bullet made its way towards the dragon and merely bounced off, Heresy laughing with ease.

"Idiots! Do you really think you can defeat us with such pathetic attempts at attacks! My brother was a fool to lose to you!"

Neos fell back down, carrying Jaden in his arms and landing on the ground below them. The youth growled, his eyes narrowing.

"You'll never win! I won't let you!"

Yusei stood in stark fright and thought as he watched Jaden fight with all his power. The boy rammed Leviathan again and again, Neos making mere indents upon the gigantic dragon. Heresy watched in pity as Leviathan swatted them away again and again, leaving Jaden in the dust more than once.

The boy lifted himself up from the rubble, the string between Neos and Jaden growing ever thinner with each attack in an attempt to bring down the huge dragon. Yusei stared at Jaden, his heart beating wildly in his ears.

_Why can't I attack? What's holding me back from sending Stardust after the dragon? _

He looked deeper into Jaden's eyes, wanting to see what was going on in Jaden's head. Was it Jaden who held him back? Why did Yusei fear attacking his enemy?

His palms were sweaty now, his legs trembling under his own weight. As his mind clouded with thoughts a scream knocked him conscious once again. Jaden held his bleeding side, Neos falling to the ground near him and also holding his side. A cackling laughter could be heard above.

"You are more pathetic than I imagined!"

Jaden screamed in agony, his hands covering with blood as the sticky substance bled through his clothing. He put his head down upon the rubble softly. Yusei quickly leapt down off Stardust to land beside his love, taking Jaden's hand in his.

"Jaden! Jaden!"

His voice was filled with worry, his heart pounding so hard he could hardly hear his own thoughts. The younger boy's eyes were closed now, his breathing slowing down. Neos was beginning to flicker as well, the monster beginning to get covered in electrical circuits that ran through the veins. Neos twitched back and forth vigorously, falling to the ground even when he was trying to stand up and fight.

Yusei gazed up at the immense dragon that floated above them, seeing Stardust trying to bit Leviathan's neck in a desperate attempt to stop the reign of terror. Leviathan swatted him off easily, Stardust landing on the ground harshly. Yusei felt the wings being crushed, grabbing his own arms as he felt every painstaking stone cut his body with razor sharp edges.

He screamed aloud, the people around him gasping in horror as Yusei exploded in cuts and bruises, mimicking Stardust's wounds. The dragon lay in a heap beside the group of three, Yusei feeling his heart beginning to give out on him. He watched the chi string flicker and bounce unevenly, Yusei's breaths growing weaker and weaker every second that passed.

He put a hand to his heart, listening for the beat of Stardust's heart. The dragon panted in and out heavily, the silvery dragon losing its luster after the intense fight. Leviathan seemed to overrule them all, the creature tearing down the city as they lay in the dust.

Buildings crumbled, dust filled the air, and screams were bloodcurdling. This was a day that Yusei would never forget, as this day reminded him of his own time. The pictures and memories came to life as he imagined his hometown, his friends, his life and his future come crumbling down into nothing but a pile of memories that were to be swept away by the wind. His heart beat faster now, feeling the power of his sorrow come to life.

He cried out in vain, his heart aching with more pain than a thousand swords could ever put through his body. He didn't want to lose Stardust, he wasn't ready to die, and he wasn't ready…

To say goodbye.

The time was too short lived, and as he cried out another cry was heard through the air. Yusei's ears perked and even though his heart did not want to listen, the voice spoke to him still.

_You have not yet learned Yusei Fudo. _

_What have I not yet learned? _

The air was still, the heat of the battle losing the fever over the city. The world was distancing from him, Yusei's very being becoming so light and unsteady that he began to think the organ was going to burst. Darkness surrounded Yusei, the image of Jaden laying in the dirt becoming a mere mirage as the world began to twist even more.

_You have not yet learned. _

The darkness wrapped gentle arms around Yusei, his eyes dimming as the peaceful silence rolled in his ears. He spoke softly, wanting to hear his own voice more than anything.

"Jaden…"


	14. Crimson Love

The rumblings of a heart woke him up. His throat was dry and his lips were cracked with salt. Slowly he up righted himself, staggering to get to his feet. His body was weak and malnourished, a foul taste living in his mouth. How long had he been out?

His head ached and his chest felt like a heavy weight had been placed upon him. He breathed in and out slowly, trying to gain his strength.

"Where in the-"

His words were stopped harshly as he his head upon something above him, forcing him to sit back down and rub his sore noggin. Yusei growled and looked up to find that something brown and dark was blocking the sun from his view. At first Yusei thought that the brown thing was something close to an opening or a closing, but upon further inspection he realized that the thing was neither.

Pressing his hand upon the brown thing above him he realized that the thing was smooth and plastic made. This confused Yusei further and made him want to know where he was exactly. Sitting up and looking around Yusei could see that the only thing around him was the color red. He licked his lips and crawled over to the edge of the surface, touching the smooth and glassy surface. The red bent beneath his fingers, curving at the very bottom and stretching all the way to the top of the room. Upon further inspection Yusei saw that the brown plastic stretched over to the middle of the room and formed a pillar in the center, an elliptical shape of a pillar that stood from top to bottom.

Yusei slowly turned his head towards the front of the room and gazed out into the open, seeing nothing but darkness all around him. Where was he?

Crawling over to the pillar in the center of the room Yusei began to ponder what he was doing here when suddenly a booming voice overtook his thoughts and threatened to throw him backwards with the force.

"I don't want him to leave… don't leave… Yusei…"

The boy looked around him frantically, his body beginning to sweat in the overheated room that he was in. The voice was too loud for Yusei to detect and identify, Yusei having to listen very carefully to the accent presented. He swallowed hard, sitting upright and turning his head towards the front of the room.

"Who are you?"

The voice did not answer back, but as Yusei began to wonder whether or not he would ever get out of that place he felt the room shift. He was thrown upon his back, his legs sprawled out in front of him and his hands trying to grasp onto something for support. The room swung back and forth, Yusei's stomach churning with every passing second. He cried out in alarm as the room came to a sudden halt, something massive and shadowy passing over the front of the room's glass.

"Yusei… please don't leave?"

_That voice… could it be? _

"Jaden?" he called out towards the sound, eager to hear the voice once again. He hoped that by hearing the voice he would be able to identify Jaden within the core. Yusei propped himself up upon his elbow and called out again.

"Jaden? Jaden where are you?"

_He must be talking through a megaphone… but where did he get that? Where is he? _

The room shifted again to the left, throwing Yusei against the far right corner of the room against the red glass that seemed to surround the room with a full view. As his skin came in contact with the glass he felt the glass bend beneath his body.

Slowly, his hand slipped through the red and fell into space, his body following and letting gravity take control. Yusei cried out again as he fell through space, landing almost softly upon his side on the ground. The moment of flight had passed through him, his heartbeat wearing down as he put a hand to his head and gazed around.

"Jaden?"

His azure eyes looked frontward, and as he peered into the black distance he saw two strange black and red stones standing parallel to one another. Yusei got up warily, holding his arm and rubbing his body while trying to make out what was happening.

_What the heck? What is all this? _

Swallowing his fear Yusei stepped towards the strange stones, placing a hand upon one of the stones and looking up. The stones were connected to a pillar that loomed far above his head and reached into the sky, ending with a curve towards something else that he did not recognize. There was another pillar stacked sideways on top of the pillar that was connected to the stone.

_Wait a minute… _

The colors on the pillars looked vaguely familiar. Yusei's mind quickly connected the colors to all possible options, lining them up one by one and dismissing the thoughts as they came. The colors red and black seemed so familiar to him, and yet he could not put his finger on what exactly they related to. People, places, and things all ran through his mind and made him wonder if he was going slightly insane. Eventually Yusei shook his head and continued to stare at the pillars until the voice rang out again.

"Don't go…"

_That voice! That has to be Jaden! But where… _

_Wait… Jaden… _

His knees suddenly felt weak as the realization came to him slowly, his brain refusing to believe the final conclusion Yusei had reached. His body became numb for a few seconds, a hand coming up to catch his head as he reeled forwards, a sickly feeling present in his stomach.

_That pillar… that's Jaden's… _

His eyes forced shut, not wanting to look up and into the face of the boy he knew sat before him. Yusei knew that if he looked he would not be sure if he could handle the sight. Many options were put together, but this was the only option that made sense, the only possibility that could exist in this time. The Crimson Dragon certainly knew how to freak Yusei out.

Lifting his head slowly and peering up into the sky he saw that familiar brown hair come into view, and soon a head upon arms followed. Yusei's eyes dimmed as he pursed his lips, knowing very well what was going on. He was both scared and sad.

"Jaden?"

The boy was seated with his arms clasped around his knees and his head in his arms. He was silently weeping, the sadness of Yusei leaving too much for him to bear. Yusei could hear Jaden weeping very well, as his ears became keen with their diminutive size.

Crimson Dragon… where have you taken me?

Stepping closer to the boy Yusei saw that Jaden had not seen him yet, and still had his head in his knees. Licking his lips and cupping his hands around his mouth Yusei shouted loudly, hoping to catch his attention.

"Jaden!"

The body rustled, and the boy looked up slowly. Damp streaks ran down his cheeks as he wiped his eyes sadly, looking back and forth to where the voice came from.

"Who's there?"

"Jaden! Jaden down here!"

The boy swallowed, looking around one more time before finally letting his eyes drift downwards. Yusei stood firmly, his hands in mid air in case Jaden needed another call.

He did not.

"Yusei!"

Jaden's eyes widened as he peered down at Yusei in wonder and awe. His eyes softened as he spoke in whispers.

"Yusei… you're here."

The tiny man nodded, looking up at the boy he loved so much. A shift in the air caused both of their voices to maintain a certain frequency, both of them feeling the change in sound. Yusei spoke clearly.

"Jaden, where are we?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders as he smiled down at Yusei, unfolding his legs and spreading them out.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter to me though. You're here."

Reaching down softly, Jaden wrapped his fingers around Yusei's body, lifting him up gently. Yusei felt as if he were in an elevator, with a secure warm brace attached to his chest so that he would not fall. As he came closer to Jaden's face the boy opened his hand, letting Yusei sit upon his palm.

"Yusei, you're so small. What happened to you?"

"I'm not sure…" Yusei replied, placing an arm on his knee. "All I know is that Heresy is still out there… and I don't… I don't want you to get hurt."

Jaden seemed unconcerned with this, as he smiled more at the tiny man, chuckling. "You're adorable! How tall are you? Three, four inches high? You're like a doll."

"Jaden, can we focus?"

Jaden swallowed easily, his right hand hovering over Yusei for a second. "I've always looked up to you, but now I get a chance to look down… and I mean really down!" his childlike nature made an appearance as his finger grazed over Yusei's built body and drifted down to the place between his legs.

Yusei winced in ecstasy for a second before pushing the digit away and trying to regain control of the situation. He shook his head, holding onto Jaden's finger lovingly and yet not wanting the finger to repeat the actions.

"Jaden… I have to…" he pursed his lips, not knowing whether or not he should speak his heart. The only thing keeping him from ever moving forward was the knowledge that he and Jaden would depart and from his point of view Yusei was not sure if he could handle that. Jaden gazed at him quietly, the smile gone from his face and replaced with a mixture of wonder and sadness.

"Jaden, you know we have to fight Heresy… right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"We have to… we have to go back…"

Jaden's face turned sad for a second, his voice trembling. "But… if we do… then won't the Crimson Dragon take you back to your time?"

Yusei bit his lip, swallowing hard. Giving up the thing he loved the most would be the hardest part of his life, something he would have to deal with until the end of his days. The action would haunt him until he had nothing left but those beautiful memories he and Jaden created together, and Yusei was not sure if he was prepared for that.

"We both know… what has to happen… but if… if we could figure out some way… then maybe we can both be together…"

"If the Crimson Dragon is involved though… doesn't that mean that you kind of have to obey whatever it tells you to do?"

The man nodded his head; sure that Jaden was getting at a point. For some reason, he felt as if Jaden could read his mind, as if Jaden were a part of his inner feelings and thoughts. The two hearts were beating as one, but Yusei knew that one day they were meant to part.

He was not ready for that.

Jaden's eyes became narrow as a stern look overcame his face.

"I won't let it."

Yusei gazed up at him with curiosity.

"I won't let the Crimson Dragon take you away… I won't!"

Before Yusei could react Jaden's fingers wrapped around him easily, pinning Yusei's arms to his sides as he snuggled the tiny man into his chest. Yusei could hear the loud drums of Jaden's heart, his body wriggling to be set free.

"Jaden! Jaden you're crushing me!"

"I won't let the Crimson Dragon take you away; you're too precious to me!"

"Jaden stop!"

The boy hugged Yusei closer, the man feeling his breath being sucked out of him like a vacuum. He struggled against Jaden's grip, hardly making any progress. His arms were beginning to go numb and his mind was beginning to dull due to the lack of air.

_Is this what you want? _

A voice spoke to him secretly; the whispers of wind carrying the voice towards Yusei's ears and making them perk slightly.

_Is this the kind of love you want?_

_Of course not… this isn't what I want at all. _

_Then what kind of love do you want? This is the type of love you are expressing, your heart screams for him… your lips yearn to touch his… the more power you put into holding in your feelings, the stronger and closer they come to breaking free and taking control young Yusei. _

_What can I do? This isn't what I want… I love Jaden but… _

_You may love him… but is this the kind of love you wish for? _

_No! I already told you that! _

_Then what do you want? _

_What are you asking Crimson Dragon? _

His body was getting number, the nerve endings failing to receive any information from the brain at all. Jaden's chest was so warm and soft against his face, Yusei smiling as he realized that this would be the end of him.

_He doesn't realize he's crushing me. _

_Is it truly Jaden who is crushing you? _

_Truly Jaden? _

Yusei breathed out raptly, a cough emerging from his throat and making his head spin vigorously. He took another breath in, feeling almost no air go into his lungs. He was beginning to lose consciousness.

_Truly Jaden? What does that mean? _

_What does your heart speak? Does it tell you what you truly desire? _

_Crimson Dragon… what do you mean? _

_Listen Yusei… listen to the Crimson Love that burns with such fervor that your heart is engulfed by the very taste of the power. Love is a lesson. In order to love… you must let go. _

_I must let go… I must… _

Licking his lips and gathering what little strength he had, Yusei wriggled his arm out of Jaden's hand and pounded softly upon the gigantic chest.

This vibration was enough for the fingers to release their grip, the air rushing into Yusei's lungs to fast he coughed in relief afterwards.

Slowly, the hand came up to Jaden's face, the sad eyes peering at Yusei softly. The man breathed in and out heavily, hearing Jaden's voice.

"I'm so sorry Yusei… I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The man shook his head, a smile spreading across his face slowly. The giant boy stared back at him uncertainly, his brown eyes locked upon the small man. Yusei staggered to his feet as Jaden opened up his hand more, allowing Yusei to stand up straight.

"Jaden… I have to let you go."

A look of sadness passed over the youth's eyes. Yusei shook his head, continuing.

"I love you, I really do."

"Yusei…"

"But in order for us to win… in order for us to realize our dream… of becoming great duelists… we have to say… goodbye."

"But-"

"Jaden." Yusei spoke firmly now, commanding the boy's attention. Jaden shied back, listening intently.

"Never forget, that I love you. I have never loved anyone as much as I love you."

"Y-Yusei…" tears formed in Jaden's eyes, the boy struggling to keep his hand steady as Yusei began to wobble.

"I love you, don't ever forget that. I will never lose sight of what I love. I came to this time for a mission… to save the world. What I never expected… was to fall in love with such a beautiful person."

The tears poured down Jaden's face now, sniffs coming from his chest and threatening to take him over. Yusei's hand came upon Jaden's index finger, a sad smile upon his face.

"I'll never forget you Jaden, I promise."

The boy began to whine now, his lips coming closer to Yusei's face. "Yusei… I love you too…" softly Jaden's lips touched the top of Yusei's head, Yusei returning the favor with a small kiss of his own upon Jaden's lower lip.

"Promise me one thing Jaden, just one thing."

The boy gazed back at the man he loved so much and nodded his head, listening for whatever command Yusei gave him.

"Wait for me."

A surge of energy soared through the air at Yusei's words, the red energy of the dragon wrapping itself around Yusei's body and engulfing him in flames of love and passion. Jaden hastily let of Yusei as the tiny man began to float in the energy, the flames burning brightly through the darkness that surrounded them both. Jaden cried out to Yusei.

"I promise! I'll wait for you! I'll wait as long as I have to!"

A smile spread across Yusei's face as he sighed, tired now that he spent so much energy just trying to get through to Jaden's heart. His blue eyes watched as the crying Jaden slowly turned into red energy, his body disintegrating into thin air.

A slight tickling feeling emerged from Yusei's chest as the red energy poured into his body, filling the space on the left side of his chest cavity. The space weighed heavier and heavier, Yusei knowing that he had done the right thing.

Closing his eyes and relaxing, Yusei felt his heart beginning to beat once again slowly, with the power of the Crimson Love coursing through his veins.

_The power of love transcends all time. _


	15. Where The Light Gets In

Dust filled his lungs as he coughed, sitting up and placing his hand upon the ground. His body was weak, but his brain was screaming at him to move faster. He glanced upwards towards the behemoth of a dragon that overtook the skies and rained fire down upon them. He growled under his breath.

A movement to his left caught his eye, and another person sat up with him. the boy shook his head back and forth, his hand rustling through his brown hair. The man smiled at the boy fondly, crawling over the rubble and glass towards him.

The boy saw him out of the corner of his eye and turned carefully, his hand resting on a pile of sharp rocks. He cried out in pain as he began to bleed, licking his wounds and trying his best not to bite his hand.

The man crawled over to him and held onto the bleeding hand, taking his fingers and intertwining them with the boy's. The two people looked at each other affectionately, their hearts beating as one and memories passing through their minds.

"_Will you promise me one thing?" _

"_Anything." _

"_Wait for me." _

"_I promise." _

Yusei closed his eyes and opened them once again after a long sigh, listening to the sounds of the dragon above them. Jaden gazed at him gently, his mouth moving to form words.

"You were…"

"Big?"

"Yes…"

"And you were…"

"Big…"

"How did…"

Putting a finger to his lips, Yusei nodded his head. He knew what the Crimson Dragon had done.

"The Dragon… let us see what really held us back from ever defeating Heresy." Jaden stared back at him in confusion, unable to comprehend what he said.

"Jaden… we've been holding each other back."

The young boy pursed his lips, tears already welling in his eyes. "I don't want you to go…" he paused, sniffling. "But if… but if that means… that our world will be safe… then I… I have to…"

"I feel the same way Jaden." Putting his arms around the boy, Yusei embraced his love, feeling Jaden shake beneath him.

"If there was any other way Yusei!"

"I know." The world around them began to crumble more now, the buildings looking like mere shadows of construction that once were. The future had to be bright… for all of them. Every man, woman and child was dependent upon the two lovers who would save this world. If they failed, then everything that Heresy had predicted will come to pass, and the dragon of malice will engulf the world in an eternal darkness.

With a hand upon his heart Yusei stood up, pulling Jaden along with him. They stood together hand in hand, and looked upon their foe. The dragon glared down at them, Hersey laughing maniacally as usual.

"Fools! Your power is no match for mine! Do you honestly think that your dragon and your little warrior can hold true?"

Heresy's words touched their ears, but their hearts spoke louder than any voice ever could. A fire was burning true in their hearts, the two lovers willing to sacrifice everything they had ever come to love in order to fulfill their destiny.

With a swoosh of wind Stardust picked them up once again, Neos standing next to his master as they sailed into the sky. The warrior held onto Jaden as Yusei grabbed a hold of Stardust's reigns and pulled up, leading his dragon towards the larger and more powerful foe.

_Yusei… did you see the Crimson? _

_Yes, I did Stardust. _

_Crimson told you what would happen. _

_Yes, but I am willing to take the risk. _

Stardust purred in approval, nodding its head. _Yusei, you have grown as a person… you have matured beyond your years. You understand what it means to truly be in love. That is something only a few people understand. _

Yusei gazed into the azure eyes of his dragon and smiled sadly, rubbing Stardust's neck rather affectionately.

_We've been through a lot together, haven't we? _

_Let's make this… our best battle yet! _

Turning his attention to Jaden, Yusei grabbed the younger boy's hand. Neos let go of Jaden as they stood upon Stardust's back, directly in front of their foe. The dragon roared at them, nearly knocking them off their feet, but they stood firm. The winds of change were upon them, their destiny ready to take flight.

The bleak sky was above them, and the dragon of malice was in front of them, the chi energy from all the souls acquired feeding the beast. Yusei swallowed, feeling Jaden's hand tighten around his. Slowly, they closed their eyes.

Yusei could feel the vibrations of electricity run through his body, his spirit lighting up with vigor and poise. Currents of energy ran through him, and all at once he could hear Jaden's very essence.

_Yusei? _

_Yes?_

_I'll find you… I promise I'll find you! _

_Jaden…_

Opening his eyes, he turned to see Jaden lit up in a warm blue fire that licked his skin. The flames were cold, almost frozen. Yusei breathed out, seeing his own body wrapped in a beautiful red flame that cooled him down to the core. This would be the last battle.

Stardust flew up higher, the malice dragon flying up to catch them. Stardust flew higher and higher, Neos grabbing a hold of Stardust's wings and clinging for dear life. The dragon flew above the smoke and into space, where a beautiful line of clouds filled their vision. The clouds were bleak and white at the same time, the sun shining upon the snow that covered the Earth.

Slowly, Stardust lost its balance. The wings collapsed, Neos letting go and disappearing into a blue light that returned to Jaden's soul. Stardust vanished as well, returning to Yusei's body and filling him with unparalleled energy.

_The energy… I can feel it! _

The cries of every person on the planet rung in their ears, their bodies filling with the spiritual energy.

_Every person… is crying out to us. Every person gave their energy to us… every person… every living thing… is counting on us Yusei! _

They began to fall now, their bodies dropping like rocks. The wind picked up as they fell, Yusei feeling Jaden's grip loosen on him.

Their eyes met; the feeling of love passing through them both as they smiled, tears running down their faces.

_I'll find you. _

Heresy's angered cries rang through the skies as the lovers re-entered Earth's atmosphere, their bodies alit with flames of cool. They plummeted faster and faster, almost feeling like there was nothing else in the world that mattered more than what was going on right then and there.

"I'll find you Yusei!"

His cries reached his lover's ears only barely and as they let go, Yusei extended his hand towards the falling Jaden.

"I love you."

A flash of light blinded them both, the last cries of their foe echoing in the wind as the roar of a dragon filled the air. Warmth blanketed Yusei, picking him up and flinging him back up towards the sun. As he flew he closed his eyes, a small smile upon his face.

_Good bye. _


	16. Thirteen Years

He licked his lips, opening his eyes slowly. Birds tweeted outside his windowsill, a few feathers flapping in the wind as the creatures flew away hastily. The man could feel the sheets around him, shifting his hand to see where he was.

A D-Runner sat in front of him, the light from a new day raining in through a closed window. He looked around quietly, hearing nothing but the murmurs of people running outside and the tweeting of the birds. Slowly, his heart began to sink, knowing that everything that happened would forever be just a memory.

Getting up and pulling on his jacket he opened the door to the outside. The sunlight blinded him almost immediately, causing him to put a hand to his eyes. He breathed out, feeling the warmth of the sun on his chest.

They had saved the world.

Without a second to spare he began to run towards the horizon, following his memory as his feet led him to the forest that he first vanished. He slowed down when he touched grass, his breaths coming out in heaves and his chest aching.

Putting a hand to his heart and walking slowly now, he looked everywhere for any sign of a possible dragon. A little mark on the ground signaled that everything had not just been a dream, and that he had actually met the one he loved.

His lips pursed as he gazed at the mark, feeling the pain rise in his heart. His fingers unconsciously gripped his necklace as he struggled to keep a lid on his emotions.

With a stifled cry he turned around and headed back to town, feeling the rays of the sun upon his back. Just as he was about to re-enter his garage he hears someone calling from behind him.

"Excuse me?"

Turning his head to see who had called him, Yusei stopped for a second, eyeing the man who stood before him. The man had soft brown hair, and wore a pair of jeans with a tight fitting black shirt. A gentle smile lined his face as the man spoke, almost laughing.

"Yusei Fudo… am I right?"

Yusei's eyes lit up, his body backing away. "How do you know my name?"

The man looked down upon him, tears welling in his eyes.

"You made me wait… a really long time Yusei."

Yusei's body froze, his eyes wide with wonder at the man. He was tall, and well built. A pair of earrings lined his right ear as a blue orbed necklace hung from him. Yusei swallowed hard, looking up at the man. His eyes trembled.

"Thirteen years… is a long time."

Without another second to spare, Yusei ran towards him with open arms, his heart beating wildly in his chest and his legs pumping with love. He never thought he could ever feel that way again.

"Jaden!"


End file.
